夏草

Visiting Enoshima 江ノ島: Enoshima is a tourist island shrine thing just a few stops down the Enoshima train line from Kamakura. On the day I went, there happened to be a festival parade.; Kamakura is lousy with ajisai (hydrangea); Enoshima is guarded by dragons; The Isle of Enoshima; The old copper torii of Enoshima; Apparently, you go through this hoop for luck; Bridge to the mainland. Note also the festival dancers in the street.; An ad for “Karl” brand cheese puff snack; Kids playing the Enoshima train line simulator game; Festival folks parade, and temple workers come out to see

National Diet & Akasaka 国会議事堂と赤坂: Replica of the Emperor’s chair; There aren’t many water fountains in Japan, so I felt compelled to take this picture; Jaunty umbrella; 1. Liberal Democratic Party Headquarters 2. The first picture where my camera’s pixel alignment became defective; Akasaka area. (Apparently, the boy in front of me was a ghost?)

Lecture about hip-hop at Waseda U. 早稲田大学のヒップホップ講義: My classmate Ellen Rubinstein invited us to check out a lecture about Japanese hip-hop by Ian Condry at Waseda University. Afterwards, we had dinner with him and some of the students there.; Takadanobaba: Funniest station name on the Yamanote train line; “Go to the genba.”; 要チェキッ！; At a family restaurant; Waseda U.; Dude looks just like Gendo Ikari from Evangelion; They were explaining otaku culture to us

Ocean Day Fireworks Party in Yokohama 横浜での海の日花火大会: Sakuragichō crowded with girls in yukata; My camera is held together by just two screws. As a result, it’s slowly breaking. Which has me totally excited, because the broken pictures are awesome! This is the first one where I wnoticed the breakage.; The school provided free food to celebrate the fireworks show; A lot of people showed up; Looks atomic…; A busker out front of Landmark Plaza takes advantage of the firework crowds

Exploring North Kamakura 北鎌倉: Looking down on North Kamakura; Mysterious tunnel; Engaku Temple Info; Green pond

Seeking the Bashō-an 芭蕉庵をさがし: The poet Matsuo Bashō once lived on the banks of the Sumida River near Waseda. He took his pen name from the bashō banana leaf tree that he was given by a patron and was planted at his hut. As a field trip, I went in search of his hut, the Bashō-an (芭蕉庵), and whatever else I happened to find. As it turns out, I ended up eating a bowl of donburi over the birthplace of Natsume Sōseki. Not bad.; Waseda, again; Sumida River. It has more bikes now than in Bashō’s day; Some sort of photo shoot; Banana leaf; Bashō (芭蕉) took his pen name from the ancestors of these plants; An old pond; 古池や　蛙飛びこむ　水のをと; Natsume Sōseki's birthplace; 夏目漱石記念丼; Nichiren statue; “Ritual Fire for Israel: A Prayer for Peace Crossing Borders” Poster by weird “Buddhist” group Agon-shu

Class trip to Chinatown クラスの中華街への見学旅行: Sea Bass (Not Sea Bus!); Too tall again; Chinatown; Chinese food

More Kamakura 鎌倉: Camera breakage → Spooky auras; More camera funk; From the train this looked really impressive, but actually, it’s just a notch in the mountain

Graduation ceremony and roller coasters 卒業式とジェットコースター: Class photo; Graduation ceremony; The roller coaster is pretty fun; Jason Erb, roustabout and muscle man; We weren’t supposed to take pictures during the ride; Nevertheless…; Nippon-maru

Zeniarai Benzaiten, etc. 銭洗弁財天など: Shrine hidden in the side of the mountain; Spiderweb; Peace cranes; At this shrine, you wash your money for luck. My landlady reports that she has tried to no effect.; Great Buddha Hiking Course

Farewell Lunch 別れ会: The Convention of Kanagawa was signed hereabouts; In memory of the British lost at Kagoshima; More camera dissolution; Some subtle camera breakage around the steeple; Entrance to Chinatown

Trip home 帰国: Karl and friends in Kamakura station; On the flight back, I got bumped into seat A1! Also, my camera is getting funkier with time; Even this photo is a little messed up; Foie gras tastes a little gross; More funky camera stuff, the end.