Spot the Ohina Sama: Girl's Day Celebration

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this packet of rice crackers! How cute are these? In Mitsukoshi (at least the one in Nagoya) there is a rice cracker shop that makes a variety of cute rice crackers like this. They have ones with sumo wrestlers, animals from the Higashiyama Zoo, samurai rice crackers and many more! If you are in the area visit the basement floor where all of the rice crackers are sold. This counter is in front of the elevators and you can find the selection of fun rice crackers on the other side of that counter. (I hope that makes sense, if not try walking around the counters near the elevator.)

 This was just a piece of paper under my chopsticks, but it was such a nice touch! It felt like such a waste to spill anything on it or throw it away!

A Ohina sama wall hanging.

Of course, Ohina sama plates!

Next time I will show you some of the delicious food that we ate. Apparently, Chirashizushi is the food most people eat to celebrate Girl's Day.

Ohina Sama: Girl's Day Celebration

The beginning of March is when people celebrate Girl's Day in Japan. Only families with unmarried daughters celebrate this day. Supposedly, if parents don't put out the Ohina sama dolls a week before Girl's Day and put them away by the end of the next week the daughter won't get married. It's an old wives tale, but I'm sure no one wants to test it so they follow it.

No matter, the dolls are beautiful so they should be put out on display! All of these dolls were at the home of one of my friends. I'm not sure why they had so many, but it was fun to see the different faces, clothing and decorations each set had. 

 Some families will choose to buy just the main set, but some people will buy the whole entourage of dancers, musicians, singers and maids. It was a lot of fun playing spot the Ohina sama, because I found them in unexpected places. I will show you next time!

Nagoya, Japan: Cherry Blossoms In Bloom

 Cherry Blossoms are hard not to appreciate, what with their short blooming period, elegance and soft petals.

Surrounded by Cherry Blossoms under the grey sky. If the sky had been clear I think these Cherry Blossoms would have been really beautiful. If you can get up close to the Cherry Blossoms you can appreciate their beauty. Enjoy them while they last!

Nakatsugawa, Japan: With the Last of Light

The sun was setting and the light reflected off the snow capped mountains beautifully. In this sleepy little town where the main occupation is farming they have the opportunity to enjoy a magnificent sunset almost everyday. 

 How often do we miss things that are right in front of us, because we see it everyday?

Yes, this photo isn't much of anything, but I have a good reason behind taking it. It's a blah photo, but this photograph will forever help me to remember just how enormous the sun was right before it slipped over the horizon. We couldn't find a good spot to stop the car to take a picture, but I couldn't stop thinking how huge the sun was. The only time I have seen it that huge was in a movie and I didn't think it was possible to be that big. I felt like I was staring at a planet as I approached it. I don't know what caused the sun to be so big, but I have a feeling I won't have a chance to see it that big again.

Have you ever taken a photograph right after it disappeared, but kept the photograph anyway because of the memory?

Nakatsugawa, Japan: Late Afternoon Light

The late afternoon light was gorgeous. It made us stop and take in the view. Wouldn't you if you saw this?

Living in the city we don't get views like this very often, so we had to appreciate the beauty of the afternoon.

Nakatsugawa, Japan: Curves and Patterns

 Sometimes we can find curves and patterns in places we least expect. Of course, in nature it happens most often.

I don't know what caused the rocks to become yellow, but it made the rocks stand out in the water. I wished I could have gotten closer, but it was a restricted area. Apparently, some of the river water is collected for use (where I don't know, maybe in Nakatsugawa?)

 I really liked the lace like pattern that came out of this photograph. It made the water seem soft and gentle.

Please excuse the finger in the lens. I keep forgetting that my GoPro is a wide angle lens meaning that it will capture anything that slips past the sides of the camera. Otherwise, I wanted to share the view of the mountains. It was late afternoon and the sunlight was comforting in the cold.

Nakatsugawa, Japan: Fear of High Places

 With all the cable bridges that I had crossed on this day, I became a little fearless....sort of.

I decided to look over the edge with my camera (just sticking my hands over the side of the cables was scary enough for me).

 But, I was able to capture the view I had from the top of this bridge, It was beautiful once you got over the thought of "What if I fall?" or "What if the cable breaks?".

Looking back the bridge wasn't so scary. Maybe it was because I faced my fear and looked over the edge and crossed the bridge or maybe it was just because I was on the other side. Either way I made it with no problems.