Flower Panda
Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, features a beautifully adorned water font that is frequently decorated with fresh flowers. The floral arrangements often include a panda motif, paying tribute to the two pandas that once resided at the nearby Ueno Zoo.
Shitaya Shrine
Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, caught my eye with its elegant curved gable, known as a karahafu, and bright metal fittings that serve both a decorative and protective purpose, shielding key elements from weathering.
Shitaya Shrine Torii Gates
A snapshot of a typical weekday afternoon in the Tokyo urban neighborhood of Higshi-Ueno in Taito Ward, featuring a striking vermilion torii gate leading to Shitaya shrine.
Higashi-Ueno 5-Chome
Higashi-Ueno’s 5-Chome, a small triangular-shaped subdivision that includes about 21 blocks of cramped buildings, isn’t much different from the thousands of other small subdivisions scattered throughout Tokyo’s 23 wards, where the past and present coexist in fascinating ways.
Grave Markers
Wooden grave tablets with a vertical Sanskrit inscription are placed behind or against family gravestones at most Buddhist cemeteries in Japan. The late afternoon light under clear winter skies presented harsh shadows and bright highlights that I felt would be good for a monochrome shot.
Pendant Tiles
A small pile of eave-end pendant roof tiles from Ryukoku-ji, a Buddhist temple in Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan. The tiles are stacked on the ground amidst lush garden foliage and scattered yellow ginkgo leaves. Each tile features the raised kanji character “龍” (dragon; imperial), derived from the temple’s name, Ryukoku-ji (龍谷寺).
Momiji in Okutama
A Japanese maple (momiji) showcasing vibrant reds and oranges, its twisted branches reaching skyward from a steep slope overlooking the lush forests of Hikawa Gorge, nestled in the mountain village of Okutama, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.
Autumn Ravine
Hikawa Gorge viewed from Moegi Bridge, showcasing the Tama River headwaters gently flowing through subdued late autumn foliage under an overcast sky in Okutama, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.
Moegi Bridge
The view of Hikawa Gorge from Moegi Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge, showcases the vivid autumn landscape along the steep shores of the Tama River headwaters in the rural town of Okutama, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.
Kura Storehouse
A traditional white Japanese kura, or storehouse, with characteristic earthen walls designed for fire prevention. The back proudly displays a decorative crest that is visible to hikers on the Toke Trail, indicating the heritage of the owners who likely reside in the adjacent house. This charming scene is set deep in a serene mountain village in the westernmost part of Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.