Mount Fuji – Fuji-san (富士山) on a cold February day

Tall size Ojizosan at Kofu

I have done a previous post on Ojizosan so will not repeat myself here. This large, amazing looking Ojizosan was found near Kofu, Yamanashi-ken, standing silently as the last sun rays of the day were soon lost to the darkness of winter. I should photograph more Ojizosan !

Large Tortoise Wood Carving

I stumbled upon this amazing piece of wood craft whilst exiting an onsen in the Kofu region. The detail on this artwork was astounding. The man hours and incredible focus on detail was something to behold. I have posted a large resolution image so you can see the detail…such as the baby tortoises climbing all over their mother. I did not see one person stop to appreciate such wonderful craft….there is so much of it in Japan, maybe people become a little blase about such things. Shame. Look out for this kind of talent when you visit here.

Hinamatsuri – Girls Festival Japanese Doll Display

This display – for the upcoming Girls Festival Day on 3 March, – can be seen in the foyer of the Mt Fuji Radar Dome complex – Fujiyoshida,Yamanshi Prefecture. Amazing detail created by a local artist.

Mandarin and Orange Mentos

As a lover of all things citrus-fruit flavoured, I immediately snatched these when I spotted them on the supermarket shelves. The taste ? Great. Chewy mandarin. Wash this down with a mandarin juice I also buy, and you are in citrus heaven.

Stationary in Japan

No one does stationary better than Japan…and if there is another country with a bigger array of pens, pencils etc etc etc, then please let me know. If you have lived in Japan, or just visited, you may have been to a book or department store and stumbled upon the world of pens….every colour, shape and style you could hope to find. Always, there is an area of note paper for you to try before you buy. I have left the image large, so you can zoom in and see for yourself. The land of pens….indeed.

Old Steam Engine in kids playground

Nowhere else in the world will you find cooler playgrounds than Japan. I have seen some unique items for kids to play on over the years, including a now-lifeless military helicopter up in the Mito area, but today I spotted this great looking black steam engine in a local Chiba park. Very cool.

Random Japanese Motorcycle Pic – Big Ruckus – PS250

No prizes for style, the Honda PS250 – known outside Japan as The Big Ruckus, was produced from 2004 til 2007. These lank-like 250’s are sure to give you right of way on the footpaths around Shibuya ! I spotted this beast today in the Chiba area. Nice !