Jizo statue
Dressed Jizo statue. There is a tradition of dressing statues of Jizo Bodhisatva (patron of lost children) in bibs or other clothing.
Sumo, Nara, and Indian food in Japan
In Puru Nima, an Indian restaurant in Shinsaibashi. Indian food is quite popular here - the restaurants are a savior for vegetarians (though I've resigned myself to missing the 100% vegan target, probably ingesting some ghee in something I order), and the menus all seem to have English.
Yesterday I daytripped out to Nara, one of my favorite places. Nara was the first "permanent" capital of Japan, though that lasted only a few decades (before that, it changed with each emperor). Paid my respects to the Daibutsu at Todaiji, the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world, housed in the largest wooden building.
Also visted Shin-Yakushiji, a temple dedicated to the Medicine Buddha and to the "Twelve Divine Generals", fierce spirits that drive disease out of the body. I visited both on my first trip over here, and really wanted to see Shin-Yakushiji again, a small temple but good energy (I felt blessed to see it right before starting my shiatsu training, a good omen). I bought a souvenir print of the Buddha and the 12 generals, which I think will go well on the wall of my treatment space (maybe I'll arrange a loan to The Well "from the collection of Tom Swiss"). I think I might return there to get some omiyage (souvenir gifts) for my shiatsu friends.
JR Bentenchou Station
My local train station on the JR (Japan Railways) Osaka Loop line. I visit this place a lot...
Street musician on Dotonbori bridge
Dude took advantage of construction on the bridge to find a spot near, but just out of, a tremendous pedestrian flow. Didn't see him make any money in the few minutes I watched, but he seemed to be having fun. He was singing in Japanese, I have no idea about what.
fashion brand consciousness
...and then, sometimes you could be in New York, full of familiar brands like Nike and Coach. The fashion thing is very big here; my theory is that since no one can really have a big house, people show off by wearing stupidly expensive clothing instead of buying mini-mansions.
Dotonbori bridge
The Dotonbori brige. At night these all light up and it looks like something out of Blade Runner.
waterfront view
Looking north from the bridge crossing the Shirinashigawa River into Namba