Sunday, December 25, 2016

Random scenes

interesting balcony architecture on next door hotel (Takanawa)

beautiful garden at hotel (Takanawa)

Asakusa bus station (Yokohama)

Asakusa train station view (Yokohama) from Salvia Hall window


Christmas decorations (Nagoya)

street converted to pedestrian mall (Kochi)

the pachinko district (Kochi) – video games and gambling

street converted to pedestrian mall (Kochi) 

 really small but functional firetruck (Osaka)


at an Indian food restaurant (Kochi)

 tsunami warning sign (Kochi)

English pub (Kochi)

sign showing when not to use your selfie stick (Kochi)

statue in downtown Shizuoka

afternoon view of Tokyo Tower from hotel window (Shinagawa)

morning view of Tokyo Tower from hotel window (Shinagawa)

night view of Tokyo Tower from hotel window (Shinagawa)
on Emperor's Birthday 12/23, when it is lit with colored lights and a heart

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Japan's manhole cover artwork

Japan's civic artwork shows up everywhere!  Here are some manhole covers from our travels.

Karuizawa (a mountain resort town)

Shinagawa (firemen)

Nagoya (a cricket)

Nagoya (showing many of the town's features)

Kochi (a port city of bridges and waterways to the ocean)

Kochi (showing the Kochi castle and gardens)

Kochi (mixing its flora and ocean features)

Hamamatsu (the musical city - also serves as a directional guide)

Shizuoka

Shizuoka (with a view of Mt. Fuji)

Shizuoka (temples, Mt. Fuji, and other features)

Mt. Fuji view from Shizuoka

Outside the Granship in Shizuoka, where we were performing on Friday 12/21, was a spectacular view of Mount Fuji.  Between setup and concert, Jan and I slipped outside for a few photos.



This photo was taken from the Green Room's window on the Granship's 11th floor, as we finished up our performance.  The sunset on Mt. Fuji was spectacular!

What a great view after our last concert.

Concert #10 at Shizuoka

Friday 12/23 at Granship's "Wind Hall" (11th floor) in Shizuoka.

It really does look like a ship, too.  Inside with  wooden floors and wood-paneled walls and round corners, it feels like an ark.


The building hosted many music-related facilities.  We were in the top floors, hence the name "Wind Hall."  The lower floors hosted the "Ocean Hall" and the "Earth Hall," and all halls were stacked down the center.  The surrounding rooms were conference rooms, backstage areas, foyers for the halls, and other such facilities.


The hall's staff were happy to create lighting designs that changed for every song.








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