APR 30, to Vancouver Island

 greeting committee with 'new' car

major "sakura", even  here in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia

edge of Rathtrevor Beach Park         

 

 phenomenal rhododendrons

American robin, a bird not found in Japan

the two bros, some 25,000 days earlier

TODAY'S POEM (senryu  *) 

Pacific crossing

disturbs my internal clock --

night and day reset.

Giorgio Coniglio.

* learn more HERE about senryu, a lesser-known Japanese short poem that shares the physical characteristics of haiku (nominally 17 'on' / syllables in three non-rhyming lines), but deals in a satiric or humorous way with human foibles rather than with Nature. 

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APR 29, Japan Visit: Tokyo neighborhoods #2

 

Meiji-jingu, shrine at burial site of the westernizing Emperor Meiji who reigned from 1867 to 1912. 

a tribute-wall made of casks of donated sake(Japanese rice-whiskey)

international tribute:
barrels of gourmet French wine

mascot for the local pro-basketball team

an amateur rock-a-billy dance group 
performs every Sunday in Yoyogi Pa

NIPPORI FABRIC-Town, per web-photos

a fabric department-store

Trendy AKASAKA

immense security-birds at a bicycle parking area

TODAY'S SENRYU* POEM (no pictures allowed)

 public, gender-based,

steamy and meditative:

discover onsen.

 Giorgio Coniglio

* learn more HERE about senryu, a term that designates a lesser-known Japanese short poem that shares the physical characteristics of haiku (nominally 17 'on' / syllables in three non-rhyming lines), but deals in a satiric or humorous way with human foibles rather than with Nature. 

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APR 28, Japan Visit: Tokyo neighborhoods #1

Kappabashi Kitchenware Town in TAITO district

 

  

Fish market

for lunch, we again chose
 conveyor-belt sushi

SHIBUYA district, exclusive designer shops and dense crowds 

  

an intrepid dog-walker guides 20 leashed canines through the crowded sidewalks 

 

TODAY'S SENRYU POEM (no pictures allowed)

Tokyo neighborhoods:

sprawling metropolis

with hidden corners.

Giorgio Coniglio

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APR 27, Japan Visit: Tokyo, the Emperors' P(a)lace

THE IMPERIAL PALACE

en route to the Imperial Palace:
piney parks for picnicking

entrance gate
(we had not received a personal invitation)

samurai checkpoint

stone blocks used in construction
weighed up to 35 tonnes.

lots of ponds, as well as moats

  

"Tractor-seat plant" , apparently an
imperial fave

 a few weedy spots

colorful azaleas coming into full bloom

very large koi

golden koi

CLASSIC JAPANESE HAIKU, in translation

 

I write, erase, rewrite,

erase again, and then

a poppy blooms.

Kobayashi Issa

TODAY'S POEM  (senryu *) 

syllabary of hiragana and katakana

 

to write smatterings,

I learn kanji characters

and two alphabets.

Giorgio Coniglio

* learn more HERE about senryu, a term that designates a lesser-known Japanese short poem that shares the physical characteristics of haiku (nominally 17 'on' / syllables in three non-rhyming lines), but deals in a satiric or humorous way with human foibles rather than with Nature. 

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APR 26, Japan Visit: the Tea Museum

Apparently, half the green tea in Japan is grown and processed in the prefecture of Shizuoka, between Yokahama and Nagoya. Tea is important in local culture and tradition, and is even the beverage offered for school lunches in local schools!

We got off the bullet train from Nagoya to visit the Shizuoka Tea Museum; we were a bit too early as it turned out for an anticipated tea festival, but enjoyed the visit immensely (although the possible views of Mount Fuji were obscured by dense clouds).

"They took all the tea, and put it in a tea- museum ..."

fields of camellia tea-plants grow near the museum

history of tea-picking (museum placard)

lush fields of manicured Camellia sinensis, Mt Fuji on a clear day (museum placard)

display of machines now used for processing the harvest

displayed artifacts from other tea-growing lands

craft brew tea sold in the gift-shop

the superb garden, viewed from the tea-room

M

walking back down to the Shizuoka train station

marvellous views, but can't see much of Mt Fuji today!

CLASSIC JAPANESE HAIKU, in translation

sensing autumn's approach,

four hearts come together

in a small tea-room.

Matsuo Bashō

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