Changing Impressions

When I started this blog activity, I didn’t know how to write visual anthropology blog. My view point has changed through this activity. Since I had started write my blog, I focus on ordinary and small things that represent Japan well. 

This is a supermarket called Fresco in Kyoto. You can see another one near the Kansai Gaidai, but appearance is quite different from Hirakata’s one. Kyoto one has Japanese old style appearance. It means Japanese style tiles on the roof and walls were made by mud like old style. I didn’t focus on ordinary thing like this before I was taking this class. This supermarket represents Japan well I think. Because of this appearance, it doesn’t spoil the Kyoto’s traditional atmosphere. It takes to the atmosphere of Kyoto. 

I can find a lot of Hello Kitty something in everywhere. This is natural for me and I have never thought about it before and I was surprised when I hear that other countries don’t have much Hello Kitty. I rediscover the things are natural for me is not always same if I see that through the different countries view. It is difficult to me to find that kind of things due to I grow up among Japanese culture, but I can find interesting matters if I try to continue. 

I look at foods in a new angle. Some of them have interesting points. I didn’t pay much attention to them, but now I see them with caution. A cook made this by sushi as if a flower. Attitude to discover something makes ordinary things to special. 

Through visual anthropology of Japan class, I learned culture is still changing. Culture evolves to incorporate what is needed from in and out of country. I mentioned about Japanese traditional stuffs mainly. Those are of course Japanese culture. Moreover foreign things are part of Japanese culture too. Thank you for this opportunity that think about Japan again.

Hot Spring

 Hot springs are famous Japanese culture. In Japanese custom, people tend to prefer soak in a bathtub than take a shower. That custom has a deep relationship with Japanese culture I think. This time I visited 海地獄(Ocean Hell) in 大分県(Oita Prefecture). 海地獄 is located in 別府(Beppu) where are famous 温泉city in Japan.

 

This picture represent a way of make 温泉卵(eggs boiled in hot spring water) well.  The taste of it was good but, I felt little strange about it because 温泉卵 is normally soft-boiled but, 海地獄's 温泉卵 was really hard like normally boiled egg.

   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  The color of hot water was really beautiful sky blue I hadn't ever seen before. It was so beautiful that it could not be imagined from the name called hell. Although it looks cold apparently, the about 98 temperature exists. This hot spring is sky blue by iron sulfate. In addition, the smell of it was strong sulfur. I like that smell however, it was regrettable that I couldn't had been soak it because of hot water degree.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　                                                                  　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

                                                   

Steam was coming out also here. Small signboard said "danger".

This one's color was red so called 血の海地獄(Blood Ocean). The color differences between last one is caused by different mineral. I like blue one because it was more bigger and more magnificent than this. By comparing them, I could notice the smell was different too like the colors. Moreover red one looked more hotter than blue one cause of it appearance. In fact, red one's degree is about 78 so blue one is more hotter.

I watched torii and a grave maker behind hot spring. The hot spring has been the target of veneration from ancient times as hot spring God. This situation is easy to see in Japan. That is common existing hot springs and Shinto shrines at the same place. 

You can enjoy foot bath when you fell tired to walk. I tried it and could refresh. The hot water came from the source of a hot spring so it has some recovery effects. The reason why foot bath is quite popular, it is easy to take and good for your physical condition and you can get warm in winter season.

Official site of 海地獄　http://www.umijigoku.co.jp/

Entrance fee  400yen

竹生島(Tikubujima)

  I went to 竹生島(Tikubujima) this time.

竹生島 is one of a 名勝 in Japan. 名勝(meisyou) means beautiful and historical important places defined by Japanese government. 

竹生島 is located on the lake Biwa and has a famous Buddhist temple called 宝厳寺(hougonji).

When I hear the existence of it, I was surprised because of 宝厳寺’s location. It locating on a small island on lake Biwa. So I went to there by a ferry and takes 30 minute.

The scenery was beautiful and stairs were naturally assimilated to island. 

 
 Usually in Japan, Buddhist statues are kept under the roof or in a room. But this time is different. I could find Buddhist statues at outside and the color of red was shiny in nature, green color background.
Comparison between red and green was beautiful.
The color of leaves were green when i visited but, if you visit there in the height of autumn, you can see the leaves of autumn colored.
A face of statue was really cool and little scary.

 Through a main temple and keep climbing a hill, there were more old temple I could watch.

This is one of Japanese national treasure called 唐門(karamonn)
Carved design on poles and roof was really cool  and very very tiny details were carved.

http://www.kokuhoworld.com/036.html

I tasted beautiful nature. The smell of lake Biwa was somehow little salty like ocean.









Many people ware visited there though hard to access. something must be there that attract people who want to come.








Official site of 宝厳寺　http://www.chikubushima.jp/

高架下（koukasita)

This time I researched Sannomiya, Kobe.  Sannomiya has a long and narrow shopping street under the elevating structure of JR line. The reason why I chose Sannomiya shopping street is it might has some connection between culture and visual anthropology I thought.  My first impression of it was moody because of the special condition like trains are running over the roof of shops.

Train is running on the roof of shopping street.

Atmosphere was dark in a good mean. I could observe these things like pictures above. The special condition is one of the reasons that make it so. The structure of the shopping street is hard to get sunlight. I’m not sure due to I took pics at night, but exactly hard to get light from san.

Also I found many clothing stores, shoes stores accessories stores and hat stores. I wondered why there are so many similar kind of clothe stores? Almost shops for young people. For young people, it is fashionable place and shopping in there is fashionable things too. Variety is necessary. But I could find a few restaurants or eating place except fast food restaurants like DOUTOR Coffee or McDonald’s.

That place is not suitable for restaurants because bad environment for restaurants. The reason is due to the special condition I mentioned above. You can arrive China town in few minutes and find many restaurants when you across the street. The town around Koukasita(高架下、shopping street) has many restaurant in fact and people don’t need it at shopping street.

At last, I could find many bicycles in there too like Senbayashi, Osaka I researched last time. I found rare advertisements. It says “Don’t run on a sidewalk!!” That is too small to see!!

I never hard hamburger shop has delivery service by bicycles. Bicycle culture is deeply ingrained.

http://piazza-kobe.com/　official site of Kokashita
http://www.sawanotsuru.co.jp/guide/kobe/12/03.htm　　you can get some info! but in Japanese.

Keihan Densya Line Stations

I chose Senbayashi station located in almost center of Osaka to visit because there is famous of a big shopping street (Syoutengai in Japanese) and one of my friends is native of Senbayashi. This time I visited there with her, and she guided me to some famous shops and told me about Senbayashi. what a big shopping street is! was my first impression. I surprised that almost shopping street including my hometown’s it have hardly any customers the last years, but Senbayashi is NOT. There are many people from youth to old. Some of them wear shopping foodstuffs and necessaries for daily use.

The others had a date with their lover. Also bicycles were often seen. Many bicycles were parked on the street illegally. That often can be seen in Osaka. 

 
 
 People drink in the stall, Japanese old-good culture remains in Senbayashi.

 My friend took me to the Karaage store and crepe one. According to her, both of them are popular and broadcasted on TV-show. Since the price is cheap, schoolchildren come to buy as a snack.

There are many kinds shops including from old shop to newest shop. There were also unique and interesting stores. I thought Senbayashi is the town which maintained old and new balance but, I wonder how old store would have made its living. People buy some stuff at newest store clearly. Also I can say the same thing to many same kinds stores are exist in a small area.

Portrait of a foreigner

eating hot chocolate temakizushi.

His name is Mike. From New Jersey, America.

I met him last year, when he stayed Japan as a abroad student.

Before I met him my stereotype of American was American has positive thinking, enjoy their lives well etc then I was sure that my image of American was true. I spent a lot of time with him, we had some cases that we had to decide something like, where will we go to on weekends or what will we eat on lunchtime in KG. He always said "MaDonald's" I used to think does American people eat hamburger every day?  

His fashion represent about himself well.
He always wore the clothes of the check design or colorful ones. As if bright color represent his mind.
Like his clothes, he is  cheerful character and always smile.

This photograph expresses about himself well. 

He was always walking around with the camera and took the photograph. 

Taking phote is one of his hobby. For me I can't take phote with a full-scale camera in an amusement area because I feel somewhat ashamed. For me a full-scale camara means otaku or something like that. I use i-phone when I taking phote. That is difference derive from culture difference I think. 

My Town

Sakai city (堺市） is a town that I live in now. Sakai is a historied town and is a town where an edged tool and a bicycle are famous. 

http://2nd.geocities.jp/txinui/mozufuruichi1.htm

My town has the biggest ancient keyhole-shaped tomb in the world. It called Daisen-Kohun　大山古墳（仁徳天皇陵）. 

Full length : 486m
Width : 305m
Hight : 35m
This was made about 1500 years ago.
Daisen-park (大山公園) adjoins beside Daisen-Kohun.
People do running with their dogs around Daisen-Kohun and Daisen-park in early morning.  When I was a high school student, I belonged in swimming club. Our pool was outside so we couldn't swim in winter season. We used to run around Daisen-Kohun instead of swimming. 

It takes about 1 hour to walk 1 round.  There are several animals in a moat like turtles, swans, carp etc. In spite of being forbidden, some people do fishing.  And you can see many Japanese maple in fall. In the park, there is a history museum of Sakai. Sen no Rikyu is a famous person from Sakai. He is very famous in the world of the tea ceremony. 

http://www.machi-ga.com/27_osaka/sakai-sakai-sakaihigashist.html

Also my town has a very tall city office.  A city office has 21st floor.  Height : 94m

There is an observatory in the highest floor of a city office, and not only the daytime of a fine day but a night view looks very beautiful, you can enjoy yourself all day long.  

From an observatory, you can command a view of 360 degrees and, of course, can also see Daisen-Kofun. 

On sunny day, I could see Kansai airport and WTC tower. 
There is a cafe in top floor so you can see night view with drinking coffee. that is so good.