Sunday, July 8, 2007

Triangle Park

Down among the pots and tree planters in Triangle Park, there was a small statue of a Hindu deity. I think it's Lakshmi, goddess of luck and prosperity.

I think.

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Coincidence!

Today.
Triangle Park, Ame-mura, Shinsaibashi, Osaka.

There is a mysterious crowd, hanging out and watching the building with the big TV screen. There are crowd control people, keeping the general public away from the front of the shop there. There are people with t-shirts, bags, etc. from a band called An Cafe, which is a band I actually know and like.

I decide to hang out and see what's going on.


2 PM. There is a rush of excitement from the crowd. The screen is showing an ad for An Cafe's new single (which will be released in August). They play through one entire song in the ad, to much cheering and clapping and exclamations of "kawaii!" ("cute!").



The video ad ends. The video screen slowly raises. (I didn't know it could do that.)

Standing in the second story of the building are the members of An Cafe, wearing cute summer yukata. (For the record, they are all guys. Even the one in pink.) There is more cheering. They talk about their new CD and their next concert in Osaka (which is free! but unfortunately it's also after I leave). Then the screen goes down again and it is over.


...until they come out and got into the van that's waiting. Then there is more screaming and cheering and waving. Also, the distribution of free postcards by staff people.

See? Postcard! (image from their website):


Hooray for coincidence!

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Temple!

I think this is Kiyomizu temple. I'm pretty sure. The stairway looks a little different than what I remember...but where else could it be?


So...um...Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, taken last year.

Happy 4th!

In honor of Independence Day, two blurry fireworks pictures from the summer fireworks festival in Kobe last year.


They set off the fireworks above the harbor. On the way down, we could see them from underneath the raised highway, past the boats, out over the water.


It was crowded. And pretty. And I sat on the asphalt road in my yukata.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

What do you need?


(Hep 5 is a big shopping center in the middle of Umeda.)

Monday, July 2, 2007

Asakusa

Asakusa, Tokyo.


...the text on the banner is reversed. It must have blown around in the wind - or else I just took a picture of the back side of it.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Osaka Skyline

Any guesses where this was taken from?


(Answer: the top of Osaka Castle)