sashimi bytes

Schoolgirl making a prayer at a Kyoto shrine.

Although this isn't a photograph of the event, New Year's Day
is the time school students visit the appropriate shrine in their
area for praying for good exam results, especially for the high
school and university entrance exams held later in January,
when students will attempt to get a high enough score to be
able to attend the school, college or university of their choice.

So you will see similar sights to this all over Japan tomorrow,
with many students dressed in either kimono. or school uniform,
praying for their future.

Kentucky Fried Christmas, Canal City, Fukuoka.

Never able to resist a marketing opportunity, Christmas is little
more than that in Japan. Given that most Japanese people are
both Buddhist and Shinto, and Christians represent about 0.3%
of the population, it is not surprising.

Colonel Sanders looks surprising like Santa with just the addition
of the simple red costume.

Japanese blonde, Shinjuku station, Tokyo.

Whilst it is not unusual to see 'blonde' hair on Japanese women,
it is usually a very orange color, it obviously being difficult to get it
light enough from such a dark base. I would offer no guarantees as
to the authenticity of this hair, but it is the most blonde that I have seen
in Japan so far.

I liked the juxtaposition of the onlooker, and the open mouth shoulder bag.

Interesting ramen shop, Akasaka, Tokyo.

Ramen, a noodle and soup dish originating from China, is
one of the staples of Japanese cuisine. There are ramen shops
all over Japan, serving different variations on a similar theme,
depending on the area you are in.

This is a new shop in Akasaka, very popular with local salarymen
for their late-night after-drinking sustenance.

I think the exterior design is very interesting.

Recording the big wedding, Meiji shrine, Tokyo.

It is not often that you see a Japanese wedding, especially a traditional one at a place like the famous and beautiful Meiji shrine in Tokyo, so overtly recorded on film and video. Usually, the couple will retire to  quiet place in the garden, or in a special room set up as a studio, and do formal portraits. And the journalistic style of photography, and especially the video, is usually kept for the wedding party afterwards.

Meiji shrine is one of the most, if not the most important shrines in Tokyo. So to be married there is a big deal. If you go there on any Saturday or Sunday during the year, you can usually get a good look at some part of a traditional Japanese ceremony.

Red Bicycle, Fukuoka

Just a continuation of my Japanese bicycle series
that I started a long time ago. I noticed quite a lot of
new 'Christmas bicycles' around Saga yesterday,
inspiring me to post another bicycle pic.

Merry Christmas!

Saga High School students ringing the bells
with Christmas carols, at the local shopping mall.
Merry Christmas everyone, and keep safe and
well over the holidays. And thank you to everyone
who has visited my blog, supported me through 2006,
and linkrd to this blog, and my roarfish blog.

Fruit vendor, Akasaka, Tokyo.

As sophisticated as high-rise Tokyo is, with its high speed subway system,
monorail trains, electronic stores carrying all kinds of high-tech gear, and
vending machines offering all kinds of food and beverages, there is still
room for this door to door fruit vendor to ply his trade. He moves through
the restaurant area of Akasaka, offering very fresh fruit and vegetables
to passing salarymen on their way hom from after work revelling, and
restocking sandwich bars, small restaurants, etc., who wish to keep their
ingredients very fresh.

Oden stall proprietor, Kokura.

Oden is a popular winter dish in Japan, warming
and nourishing, without much fat. It is a stew of
root vegetables, eggs, chicken or pork meat,
and fish cakes of various shapes. This stall is
situated in a famous market street in Kokura,
Fukuoka prefecture, and the oden looks delicious!

Elementary school excursion to the Nishiki market, Kyoto

The Nishiki market is a fascinating food experience in
the centre of Kyoto city. You can spend ages there, browsing
through the stalls just trying to find something that you
recignize! In Autumn, many school children get bussed there
as part of their education into Japanese history. The market
is very old, and still sells all the traditional Kyoto fare, such
as the sweets these children are interested in.