Just in time for Christmas...

Christmas is celebrated here in Japan in much the general way as elsewhere in the world, but I came across this display that I am not sure I would find anywhere else but here.  Too good not to post!

So much variety!  Cute dolls with magic staffs or Squad Automatic Weapons!  Just another day in Japan fantasy land.

I promise a bevvy of posts in the next two weeks, including my trips to Misawa, Kyoto, and Nagasaki.  Happy New Year!

Previews of the Aomori and Kyoto Trips, and Tokyo scenes

I have gotten a little behind with my trip reports in the last couple of months.  I plan to post summaries and photos from my trips to Aomori Prefecture from September and also Kyoto from November.  I also have some things to share from around Tokyo.  I will accomplish all this before I move to Okinawa!


In the meantime, please enjoy a few pictures from each as way of preview.  These last months have been incredibly interesting and have taught me much about Japan.

Beautiful lighthouse on the most northern tip of Honshu island, more to come about its history later.  Yes, horses are there, too, roaming free.

You are seeing it correctly...it is a Shinto priest at popular shrine in Yonezawa, blessing a car for it owner.

A subway hall that made me feel suddenly like I was having an Inception performed on me.

Impressive ad agency building downtown.

Entrance to Yasukuni Shrine, I hope to write more on this later.  Is located a couple blocks from the Imperial Palace.

View from the roof of Mori Tower in Rappongi Hills.  I honestly never got the feeling I lived in a huge city until I looked out from this vantage point.

Kyoto, Heian Shrine and gardens, from the look of this display in front of the grounds you would think there was a sake garden somewhere.

Shrines, shrines everywhere in Kyoto, this one with some unusual services included.

Coolest ninja ever, I watched this guy way too much at Toei Kyoto Film Studio Park, also called Eiga Mura (Movie Village).

Got a nice shot of some fall colors, which are very famous in Kyoto, this was taken on a holiday and the temple grounds were packed with people.

So again, I promise some more stuff on each of these topics to come later.  Thanks!