Pix4Japan: October 2019

2019-10-16

Tokyo Tower

Standing at 333 meters (1092.52 ft), Tokyo Tower was built in 1958 as a communications tower with observation decks for tourists. Inspiration for the design was based on the Eiffel Tower, but is many times more robust to withstand Japan's many typhoons and earthquakes.

ISO 6400 at ƒ/14 for 1/6,000 sec.

#TokyoTower #ShibaKoen #MinatoWard #Tokyo #東京タワー #芝公園 #港区 #東京 #PentaxKP

Sangedatsumon Gate to Zojoji Temple in the heart of Tokyo near Tokyo Tower. Built in 1622, the two-story gate has survived fires, earthquakes, and wars making it the oldest wooden building in Tokyo. The name of the gate can be transliterated as "three salvations" (san = three; gedatsu = salvation), which is reference to the belief that if you walk through this gate, you can find reprieve from three passions: greed, hatred, and foolishness.

ISO 6400 at ƒ/7.1 for 1/1600 sec.

#SangedatsumonGate #ZojojiTemple #Nijumon #Tokyo #三解脱門 #三縁山増上寺 #二重門 #東京 #PentaxKP

Cusped window on the side of Sangedatsumon Gate to Zojoji Temple. Called "katomado" (火灯窓) in Japanese (literally "fire light window"), and can be seen in the architecture of Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, castles, and samurai homes dating back to the 16th century.

ISO 6400 at ƒ/8 for 1/400 sec.

#SangedatsumonGate #ZojojiTemple #katomado #JapaneseArchitecture #三解脱門 #三縁山増上寺 #火灯窓 #東京 #PentaxKP

Close-up shot of ancient bolts holding bronze trim to one of the gates of the Sangedatsumon Gate at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo. The gate its self dates back to the 1622.

ISO 6400 at ƒ/7.1 for 1/1000 sec.

#SangedatsumonGate #ZojojiTemple #JapaneseArchitecture #三解脱門 #三縁山増上寺 #東京 #PentaxKP

Gate to the Daitokuin Mausoleum complex built for Lord Tokugawa Hidetada, the 2nd Shogun from 1605 to 1623. The gate, which was restored after the war, is all that remains in Tokyo of the once sprawling complex that was destroyed by firebombings.
ISO 6400 at ƒ/10 for 1/250 sec.
#DaitokuinMausoleum #somon #JapaneseArchitecture #TokyoTower #旧台徳院霊廟惣門 #惣門 #東京 #PentaxKP

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2019-10-01

Kawasaki Ozenji Temple

Ozenji Temple tucked deep away in the heart wooded hills in Asao Ward, Kawasaki. The temple was originally founded in the year 921 and features the original Zenjimaru variety of a sweet persimmon tree that is over 450 years old (and is a registered national monument).

ISO 800 at ƒ/4.5 for 1/250 sec.

#OzenjiTemple #BuddhistTemple #Kawasaki #川崎市 #寺 #王禅寺 #星宿山王禅寺 #PentaxKP

Onigawara (鬼瓦) roof tile on the main ridge (oomune 大棟) of the Ozenji Temple roof showing the face of a Japanese ogre, which is regarded as a talisman to guard the temple from evil spirits (a concept dating back to possibly the 11th or 14th century).

ISO 800 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/250 sec.

#OzenjiTemple #onigawara #BuddhistTemple #JapaneseArchitecture #川崎市 #寺 #王禅寺 #星宿山王禅寺 #鬼瓦 #PentaxKP

The front of Ozenji Temple showing the offertory box (bottom center) where visitors can toss a few coins to the temple to help pay for its upkeep and preservation. The leaves in the upper right are from a 450-year-old sweet persimmon tree (a registered national monument).

ISO 800 at ƒ/3.5 for 1/250 sec.

#OzenjiTemple #BuddhistTemple #Kawasaki #川崎市 #寺 #王禅寺 #星宿山王禅寺 #PentaxKP

Claw-like hand of a cast iron guardian deity (守護神/shugojin) holding a persimmon. Sitting next to Ozenji Temple and right across from Japan's oldest existing sweet persimmon tree, my guess is that his job is to scare demons away from not only the temple, but protect the persimmon tree as well.

ISO 500 at ƒ/7.1 for 1/125 sec.

#OzenjiTemple #BuddhistTemple #GuardianDeity #persimmon #柿 #王禅寺 #星宿山王禅寺 #守護神 #PentaxKP

A cast iron "guardian deity" (守護神/shugojin) next to Ozenji Temple in Kawasaki looking towards Japan's oldest existing sweet persimmon tree (over 450 years old), which is planted nearby.
ISO 800 at ƒ/5.6 for 1/100 sec.
#OzenjiTemple #BuddhistTemple #GuardianDeity #王禅寺 #星宿山王禅寺 #守護神 #PentaxKP

Kurosuda River Yokohama

A musk mallow (common rose mallow?) growing on the banks of the Kurosuda-gawa River in Yokohama.

ISO 400 at ƒ/4.5 for 1/400 sec.

#muskmallow #commonrosemallow #KurosudaRiver #blossom #flower #JapanFlowers #Yokohama #黒須田川 #ジャコウアオイ #ムスクマロウ #横浜 #PentaxKP

Literally--it's just water off a duck's back. (A Japanese grey duck (karugamo) bathing in the Kurosuda River, Yokohama.

ISO 200 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/250 sec.

#duck #greyduck #karugamo #KurosudaRiver #Yokohama #カルガモ #黒須田川 #横浜 #PentaxKP

A Japanese grey duck (or possibly an eastern spot-billed duck) stretching out her wings on the Kurosuda River.

ISO 200 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/250 sec.

#duck #greyduck #karugamo #KurosudaRiver #Yokohama #カルガモ #黒須田川 #横浜 #PentaxKP

Dale-chan the border collie with razor-sharp focus on the ducks down in the river. She would be herding them if there wasn't a fence.

ISO 400 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/320 sec.

#BorderCollie #dog #pet #ボーダーコリー #愛犬 #犬 #ワンちゃん #PentaxKP

Came across this single "purple ice plant" growing at the base of an old oak tree along a narrow street winding through a hilly area of Kawasaki city.

ISO 400 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/250 sec.

#flowers #KawasakiCity #PentaxKP #pinkflowers #purpleflowers #PurpleIcePlant #アイスプラント #マツバギク #川崎市 #花 #赤紫アイスプラントの花

Alternate view of the purple ice plant growing at the base of an old oak tree in a hilly area of Kawasaki city.
ISO 400 at ƒ/6.3 for 1/250 sec.
#flowers #KawasakiCity #pinkflowers #purpleflowers #PurpleIcePlant #アイスプラント #マツバギク #川崎市 #花 #赤紫アイスプラントの花 #PentaxKP