day 321 - let there be (bamboo) light...

[Thousands of people have emailed and begged me to post more bamboo images. Who am I to ignore the masses? - Rob]

Nothing says "Japan" like a traditional bamboo/ paper lantern...

Man-height traditional bamboo and paper lantern.

Ponticho district,

Kyoto.

Lanterns,

Gion, Kyoto

Lone lantern,

Aboshi.

Lantern festival.

Shinto Shrine,

Oshio.

Lanterns being disintegrated.

Aboshi Lantern Festival.

The bamboo-and-washi lamp in our apartment.

day 288 - Oshio Festival

Last night after work we took a train to the nearby town of Oshio to see their Autumn Festival. It had rained in the morning, but the night was clear and lit by a full moon. Every local community paraded to the shrine to put on their own version of the shishi dance / performance with flute & taiko accompaniment and boundless energy!

Exhausted operators are replaced seamlessly to maintain the action and the illusion.

Lyn, Helen & Yoko enjoy the 2nd floor view (but that's another storey.)