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Japan Photos 2025

So it was ok to take a picture of the Noh mask but not this sign placard?
Yes, the whole room with the masks (and some other things--Noh apparel) was fine. And even in this room it varied based on the item(s). The calligraphy was no photos, but paintings and some other things not far away were okay.

This piece (about 4-5" / 120mm square) reminded me of the Borg ship in star trek, but in the detail, it's all numbers:







This piece is at the National Crafts Museum, the Noh stuff and calligraphy was at the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, and I also went to the connected pair Kaga Honda Museum/Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History.
 
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Over to the port today. First is a reflection, rotated, cropped down to just that, and flipped so the numbers look right.



Just a ship that happened to be there.



These cranes remind me of the first star wars, battle of hoth.



 
A few random iPhone shots from dog walks.

Last Thursday was extremely stormy. It felt like haru-ichiban and kosa (the yellow sand from China's deserts) at the same time. Tokyo was barely visible from our hill (we can usually spot Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya).



In the other direction, Mount Fuji was also covered in dust.



Ume soon to be in full bloom:

 
Also, I spent the morning at the tax office, and for about an hour this little person was next to me. (That's my leg/shoe on the left.) It's the husband holding the kid, sitting on a low stool, while the wife (gray sweats and red backpack) was working on the computer doing taxes.

 
Nihonbashi this morning. A small shrine taking up prime real estate.



And a statue in front of an elementary school that would probably be illegal in several European nations.

 
Found in a supermarket yesterday. This wouldn't work in most Western languages.



"Naive" (ナイーブ) has a slightly different connotation in Japanese, meaning as much as "innocent", "unpretentious", or "uncomplicated".
 
Today's walk. First two are a place I've done here before, so just another version. First is the full view of the place, and this is old, since on the second floor there are those two "wings" extending out from each side--really common on older architecture. Second is just a closer view of the windows. Note one extra figure just inside the door on the right. No signs that someone might be doing art here, using the figures for that. Nor any indication of voodoo being practiced.

What would be weird is if I went by again tomorrow, or in a week or so, and they had shifted around and changed body positions....





I've posted some upriver shots before, those have been from that next bridge up, or the next one or two after that. Such a nice day today, maybe 12-13º. About 10k steps.



There are a few more shots that I'm not sure are worth posting, maybe later.
 
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"Naive" (ナイーブ) has a slightly different connotation in Japanese, meaning as much as "innocent", "unpretentious", or "uncomplicated".
Imagine running a company working to develop and sell a line of fragrances like these, and then the present political environment comes crashing down on you.

It's like Toyota some years ago had one model that was named ISIS.
 
Also from the other day, a vinegar shop. I first noticed the production side, across the street from the shop. And I'd been by here many many times. The doors were open, and being the curious person that I am, I peeked in.

And took a breath, since the 'aroma' of what was happening was unavoidable. First, the vats, across the street from the main store (the retail outlet). I'd note that this is usually closed off, that is was open (and unattended) allowing me this look is a first.



Across the street, one part of the interior of the shop looks like this.




And another display.



Odd, but there was nobody there. At the entrance was a wind chime-like bell (tho there was no wind in what was kind of the genkan area). I 'rang' this a little, thinking someone would hear and come out. But no, nobody heard and came out.

BONUS POINTS for anyone who can give a correct reading of the second pair of kanji here:



I explored this, at first and then with my wife's added comments, after she had consulted some online resources and this outfit's actual website.. What do you think? (And I'm no expert, just offering this as a simple challenge that I myself have been schooled on)
 
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