Photos of Japan

Here you can look in at the work being done on the castle roof. Note the very large steel beams and girders making up the 'scaffolding'.

So! Now they are repairing the plaster and the tiled roof on the castle. In Japan new. being built, and buildings ungergoing major renovation are surrounded by scaffolding. However, in this case the Japanese really outdid themselves, they built a whole building around and over the castle! The "scaffolding" includes 14 inch 'I' beams and is really a 5+ story building surrounding the castle, including elevators so visitors can go up and watch the work through large picture windows looking in! So! In a year or so, when they finish the refurbishing of the castle exterior, they'll carefully remove this building they've built around it.

Oh something like 4-5 years ago I visited Himeji and was blown away by the castle and grounds. It was Sakura time, rivers of pink petals filled as the winding low spots through the grounds. Climbing 5 stories, the sights within and without were amazing fine!

I took this picture on Shikoku Island, Japan. They tell me this is the native Japanese dandelion but that it is becoming uncommon, that it is being crowed out by the more agressive occidental members of the family.

Ahhhhh where but in Japan would you find cutest wootsy wittle rabbits holding up traffic barriers on a road construction site? I took this pic in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture.

Koshien manhole cover.

This is in Shigaraki, one of the 6 oldest potteries in Japan.

An ongoing battle in the mountains above Matsuyama, The sun advances and the morning mist retreats.

On Boy's Day (now Children's Day こどもの日) the paper carp (one for each son) fly all over Japan, often atop high poles. In downtown Keshien however, they swim up the canal!

Another Japanese manhole cover, this one is near Osaka and commemorates Expo '70.

In Matsuyama, on Shikoku Island, Dogo Onsen is one of the oldest hot springs (spas) in Japan, the baths having been used for over a thousand years. This present building was constructed in 1894.

Now I'm in Senrioka, about half way between Osaka and Kyoto. The evening rain leaves the manhole cover damp enough that the sakura, cherry blossom petals, stick to it while they blow away from the pavement surrounding it.

OK picture a typewriter with over 3000 keys! Each of those little squares is a separate kanji, except for the ones that are katakana or hiragana.. Seen at the town museum in Toon City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan

Datesan (pronounced Dah tae san) and Kumikosan enjoying the Sakura flower storm, -the blowing cherry blossom petals. On Shikoku Island, in the hills above Matsuyama.

This is much more interesting than one that says 'Detroit Ironworks' or some such.

It's a rainy day here in Senrioka and I have an internet connection, -a good time to upload a few pictures