We Are All Superheroes

The end of self-isolation and social distancing is officially coming to an end and many shops are beginning to open their doors to customers again. Great job everybody! We are all Superheroes!

Flattening the Curve

The average person has remained home by choice or by design thus essentially donating a large part of  our salary for the benefit of the health care system. For some of us it has been quite a sacrifice. For the ones who are deciding that we must make that sacrifice it has not been so much as an inconvenience for them. We have "flattened the curve" but we have also made the curve much longer.

The New Normal

Life seems to be changing around us as we do our social distancing and self isolations. What will be considered "normal" behavior after the lockdown has been lifted?

Quarantined

A new word for me to teach to my students so that they can expand their vocabulary. Stay home for 2 weeks so that you know that you do not have the Wuhan Flu. But when can you leave quarantine? How will everyone know that you do not have the virus? And are you now more susceptible to the virus than before quarantine? Stay tuned... same "bat" time. (wink wink)

Social Distancing

One of the many catch phrases that are in common use this year. A new idiom to teach to my students.

Lost in Rust

This is an old Coca-Cola sign on the side of on old tea shop up in the mountains of Kobe. It still makes me thirsty. The shop has long been closed and falling apart but has recently been sold. So maybe the next time I am there... it is not.

Brick Wall Beauty

This dilapidated brick wall is on a hill going up to a favourite shrine of mine. The area has changed somewhat since I first arrived in Kobe but things like this trigger a lot of good memories from that time... the people in my life at that time and the feeling of enchantment and wonder to be in a new place.

Shofuku-ji

Shofuku-ji is a beautiful mid-sized temple at the foot of the mountains in Kobe. It is another one of my favourite temples in Kobe because of its quiet presence in an otherwise busy world. It is a center for learning and meditation for young monks and they can be seen tending to the on-site garden where they grow some of their food.

Dreaming of Busan

We are currently in "social isolation" mode which means no unnecessary travel. It's during this time that I think of past trips and relive the good times. One thing I miss about traveling is the food. I love eating! And a great place for for is Korea! This is from one of the BBQ restaurants that we often frequented in Busan.

Raspberry Flower

I have been noticing a lot of wild raspberry plants on my hikes into the mountains recently. This really reminds me of my summers at the cottage when we would pick raspberries that grew on the side of the road that went around the lake. Fond memories but I don't know the environmental implications. Another plant from Canada is an aggressive invasive species here in Japan...  goldenrod... can be found all over Japan now in the autumn, choking out the native plants.

Suwayama Cherry Blossoms

I have some very fond memories at Suwayama Shrine. This is one of the first shrines that I looked around when I first came to Kobe. At that time, there were torii gates much further down the mountain making it seem like a small Fushimi-Inari Shrine.

Cherry Blossoms Again

During this crazy sick time in the spring, the cherry blossoms are a beautiful reminder of how to enjoy the simple things in life as they appear. Take time to smell the flowers.

Spring Forest Colours

Spring time brings forth so many leaves and flowers. There are a variety of greens as well as the colours from flowers opening their blossoms. In this picture there is a bird enjoying the same
view that I am enjoying.

Post Box

I saw this Japanese post box on a hike that we did recently. It was at the end of the road and I don't think many people are around to check the mail... but somehow, I believe there
are some "love" letters inside.

Old Kobe

This is the area that foreigners used to do business in. There are still many old buildings dating back to the First World War and you can find buildings with bullet holes in them from the Second World War... a grim reminder of more difficult times.

Magnolia

One of my favourite "hiking" courses is to walk up Futatabi Mountain. On this day the flowers were trees were beginning to bloom and this Magnolia tree looked magnificent in the clear morning sky.

Buddha in Arima

Arima is a well known hot spring town in Japan which attract many visitors every year. Everyone who visits the town is there for the baths and the hotels with delicious food. But I like the temple in the middle of Arima with this seated Buddha.

Umbrella Art

This was an art piece at an art show in Sasayama, a small town in Hyogo Prefecture with some old houses. The  town is trying to attract tourists with art installations in some of the old style Japanese houses. I thought this umbrella was interesting.

Small Red Flowers

On our hike today behind Shin-Kobe station, we came across a tree with very small red flowers. We had never noticed them before but took  photo to keep in the memory file.

A Flea Market Under the Tracks

A couple of years ago, a friend of ours held a unique flea market under the tracks in Kobe. It was a very "real" event with no professional sellers like you find at most of the flea markets at temples and shrines in Kyoto. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. I had a great time!

Busan Chinatown

We found this interesting restaurant in Busan Chinatown called "Samarkand". There seem to be many people from the west area of China in South Korea and they bring with them a different aspect of "Chinese" food. Delicious and exotic!

Stone Lantern

It was a beautiful day and I saw this simple stone lantern at a local shrine with delicate blossoms hi-lighting the cold hard material of the lantern from behind. I sometimes forget that I am living in Japan and how exotic it can be. This was a small reminder to appreciate the beauty that Japan has to offer.

More Small Flowers

These are some small flowers growing on the side of a concrete wall on one of the walks that I go on from time time to time. They look like violets.

Venus Bridge

It was a beautiful day today so we took the opportunity of time off work due to a certain sickness that is causing some panic around the world, and walked up the mountain for a gorgeous view of the city.

Kyoto Maiko

We ran across some beautiful Maiko-san dressed in kimonos early in the morning one day in Kyoto and slightly off the main drag. These days they are most certainly hounded for photographs such as I have here. Traditional beauty in a modern world and becoming more and more rare.

Nara Palace

This is a remake of the palace that used to be on this sight. Is was built for the 800th anniversary of the establishment of the Nara Kingdom. This is an up close shot of an eaves decoration.

Murder!

What do you call a group of crows? That's right. A "murder" of crows. Lots of crows in Kobe. This "murder" was hanging out on a neighbouring building early one grey morning.

Japanese Garden

This is a Japanese garden that we came across on a dreary day just as the plum blossoms were starting to bloom sometime near the end of February.

Rusty Old Tub

Found this old tub on one of our walks around Kobe. It was hidden behind on old tree stump at Suwayama Shrine on a beautiful, crisp morning. Kind of looks like a picture of the cosmos!

Kobe Senta-gai

This is a view of Kobe Center Street from above. Not too pretty. Typical image of a concrete jungle and what I expected to find in Japan. Thankfully, here in Kobe, there is a lot of nature that is easy to access.

Small White Flowers

These are some flowers that are growing on the side of mountain path. They are so small that they probably go unnoticed by all the hikers that frequent the walking course. I am always on the lookout for flowers at all times of the year and in all places in Japan.

Blessings

Everywhere we go, we are blessed with life including all the people and places around us.

My View From the Platform

This is the view that greets me most mornings on my way to work. There are usually a few crows around that seem to watch me board the train. Am I the crow master?

Children's Masks

This is a common sight at festivals throughout Japan. I do not know half of the characters portrayed but I recognize Doraemon. My favorite is Ultraman.

Evening Satellite Dish

A beautiful evening sky with a view of the moon on a warm summers evening. Sitting in my room on a cold spring day hiding from the corona virus, I can hardly wait for the warmth of summer.

Signs of Spring

Another sign of spring is the emergence of narcissus in all the gardens. This is a very common one that looks like a small daffodil.

Temple Bell

I have been in Japan for many years and have rung the bells at temples on occasion. But I have never rung in the New Year Japanese Buddhist style by ringing the temple bell 108 times.

Akashi Manhole

This is a manhole cover from the streets of Akashi with a picture of the Akashi planetarium on it. Can you see the resemblance?

Kyoto Style

Some images of mannequins in Kyoto. I like these lifeless human portraits.

Natural Wall Art

This is an outside wall near Motomachi station where some vines have grown up the side of a wall and has left some interesting patterns.

Akashi Planetarium

Went to the planetarium in Akashi for the very first time. I have seen the building many times from the train and on those occasions have wondered why I had never been. It is located at the center of Japan... but a bit of a walk from Akashi station. This time I went because of an exhibit that was being held at the planetarium gallery.

More Winter Flowers

For a Canadian it really is amazing to see flowers growing outside in the wintertime but in Japan there are flowers blooming every month of the year. This is Camelia and it typically has blooms almost all year long.

Plum Blossoms

February is the month for plum blossoms here in the Kansai area of Japan. These blossoms were a little early possibly because of the protection from the direct winds. Take time to smell the flowers in life. And plum blossoms have a very delicate spicy smell.

Public Art in a Japanese Shrine

We went to Itami City today to see the works of a Japanese artist Asano Takeji at an art gallery there. After the exhibit we stumbled upon a shrine. Often, shrines have a space dedicated to traditional paintings. I found this one to be particularly interesting.

Construction Time Again

Construction goes on through the night to complete Hankyu Sannomiya Station with as little disruption to the commuting masses.

Hyogo Ebisu

I like to go to the Ebisu festival every year in January. It is an event that is unique to the Kansai area of Japan and there are a few large events near my home. This is at the temple near JR Hyogo station.

Full Moon Reflection

Walking through the streets of Kobe late one night during a full moon, I saw the moons' reflection on one of the glass buildings in downtown Sannomiya. This is a good reason to have so many buildings with mirror glass windows so that one can see the sky in all directions.

Looking Up

The skyline of Kobe is changing. Many of these changes were planned to happen before the earthquake in 1995 but it has taken this much time to get around to them. This is the construction at Sannomiya station.

Happy New Year Cheers!

Japanese sake takes the place of champagne for official ceremonies here in Japan. This sake is given out at many shrines on New Year's. And this particular sake cup made from bamboo is in the shape of a heart!