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Asukayama Park Tokyo

Asukayama Park in Kita-ku Tokyo

Asukayama Park is a public park near Oji station in Kita-ku in Northern Tokyo. It is known for Cherry Blossom viewing during the beginning of Springtime with over 600 Japanese cherry trees. It’s history started during the 18th century, when, shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa (1684-1751) built the premises for Edo’s (Tokyo) population. It was one of first public parks in Tokyo. In addition, one can watch the JR Keihin-Tohoku and the Tohoku Shinkansen pass by from the pedestrian crosswalk near the South exit of the Oji Station. To access Asukuyama Park get off at either 1. Oji Station: JR Keihin-Tohoku Line or Tokyo Metro Namboku Line 2. Asukayama Station: Toden Arakawa Line 3. Oji-Ekimae Station: Toden Arakawa Line.

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Kochi Castle

Kochi Castle in Kochi on the Island of Shikoku in Japan. In the 1990’s I brought my photography students for a home stay in Kochi.

In 1588 Kochi Castle was completed by lord Chosokabe Motochika but later in 1600 lord Yamanouchi Kazutoyo took control over the castle. Kochi Prefecture was then called Tosa province back then. The castle was completed in 1611 after 10 years of construction. Much of the original fortress burned down in 1727 and it was reconstructed between 1729 and 1753 in the original style. The castle has retained its original stonework structure and is not a replica like other castles in Japan. It is also the only castle in Japan to retain both its original main keep and its palace. Kochi Castle is located in the city of Kochi on the island of Shikoku in Japan.

https://kochipark.jp/kochijyo/

https://visitkochijapan.com/en

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Summer Design


Alviso Slough Trail taken at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso July 2021

Today’s weather

 

 

Tides and currents

 

 

Nature’s paintbrush

 

 

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Hakodate Morning Market in Hokkaido

King Crab at the Hakodate Morning Market in Hakodate Hokkaido early 2000’s

 

The history of the Hakodate Morning Market started in postwar years when food was scarce and farmers from the countryside began to sell vegetables in the city. An illegal black market started outside Hakodate Station near the ferry dock, and fishmongers and rice peddlers went back and forth between Hokkaido and Aomori. Afterward the market became the “kitchen” of the city, selling foodstuffs like rice to items like melons and crab. The market sells vegetables picked fresh that morning, laid right on the ground for sale. The market boasts around 250 stalls as well as “donburi lane,” where visitors pile bowls of rice high with fresh seafood called “seafood rice bowl.”

https://www.hakodate.travel/en/

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Muwekma Ohlone Mural San Jose

Mural painting of Charlene Nijmeh Tribal Chairwoman President of Muwekma Ohlone Tribe

Creation Hymn

In the beginning of the world

all men had knowledge cheerfully

all had leisure

all thoughts were pleasant

at that time all creature were friends

wide river rushing

wide to the hills

everywhere spreading

waters devouring

men and all creatures on the flood of the waters

when the daughters of the spirit came to

help

all then joined together

all saying

Come help

in other years all traveled

over the waters of the hard stony sea

all were peaceful long ago

large and long was the east land

rich and good

shall we be free and happy then

at the new land?

We want rest in peace and wisdom

Adapted by E.G. Squier, ‘… translation of the Walum–Olum, or Bark Record of the Lenni

Lenape’, first printed in The American Whig Review, 1849

wide view alfonso salazar mura 4-27-2021
Photographs of the Muwekma Ohlone Mural from start to end

The Ohlone mural is a tribute to the proud culture and history of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. It was painted by Alfonso Salazar, a Native Indian, born in San Jose. The mural is sponsored by Pow Wow San Jose and the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy in San Jose as part of the Artist in Residence program.

The Naticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation mostly live in Delaware Bay but also in New Jersey, northern Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, and southeastern New York

http://muwekma.org/

https://www.powwowsanjose.com/about-pwsj

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Shimbashi

Near Shimbashi Station October 2019

Shimbashi is a business and entertainment district in Tokyo. Many “salaryman” (office worker) and “OL” (office lady) work in this area of the city because many business offices are located there. There are many affordable bars, izakayas, and restaurants in the area. Shimbashi station has seven different railway lines converge on Shimbashi including the Yamanote line (central Tokyo), Yokosuke line (Yokohama & Kamakura), Keihin-Tohoku line (Shinagawa & Yokohama), and the Ginza subway line (Asakusa & Shibuya). Shimbashi is known for being Tokyo’s first railway terminal, for the Tokyo to Yokohama line, from 1872 to 1914. During the night time Shimbashi becomes an intoxicated “salaryman” territory, full of karaoke, izakayas, bars, and on weekends many taxis to take home the drunken after missing their train or subway. Shimbashi is full of people and it’s a very busy district of Tokyo during the evening commute hour.

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Guadalupe River Mural

 

Pow Wow San Jose and the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy have partnered together to create several murals along the Guadalupe River in downtown San Jose from 2020 to 2021.

Kristina Micotti is the artist that recently painted the murals at the Guadalupe River Trail at Santa Clara Street near the SAP Center in San Jose. She was commissioned to paint these murals through Pow Wow San Jose and the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy. The murals are located on both sides of the Santa Clara Street underpass and along the Guadalupe River Trail.

Art can be method to give people hope and can inspire people for a brighter future for all.

 

https://www.instagram.com/kristinamicotti/

https://www.powwowsanjose.com/pwsj-2021

https://www.grpg.org/

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Amtrak #532

amtrak

 

 

Capitol Corridor: Northbound from San Jose-Oakland-Emeryville/SF-Sacramento-Auburn

 

 

From the horizon

 

 

amtrak # 532

 

 

passes by