Kitakami Photoblog
Daily photos from Kitakami, a small town in Northern Japan, and its surroundings.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 03, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
We are leaving Japan...
I will miss Japan terribly, for lots of reasons, like for afternoons like the one when I took the photo above: We spent it with friends in their big garden, which included also a lotus pond.
The preparations for the moving started very smoothly two weeks ago, only the packing was left to be done, but then I had tonsillitis for one week, without being able to do anything than staying in bed, now our son has tonsillitis as well ... I wonder how we'll manage to be ready in five days!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Friday, June 01, 2007
June 1st theme day: A view from my room
Seattle (WA), USA - Manila, Philippines - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Toruń, Poland - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Seoul, Korea - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Vantaa, Finland - Madison (WI), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Omaha (NE), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Stockholm, Sweden - Grenoble, France - Lubbock (TX), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Arradon, France - Hyde, UK - Joplin (MO), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Kansas City (MO), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Manila, Philippines - Sydney, Australia - Stavanger, Norway - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - London, UK - Chandler (AZ), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Singapore, Singapore - Hamburg, Germany - Sydney, Australia - Tenerife, Spain - Moscow, Russia - Lyon, France - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Anderson (SC), USA - Oslo, Norway - Evry, France - Hayle, UK - Mumbai, India - Kitakami, Japan - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Los Angeles (CA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - La Antigua, Guatemala - Paderborn, Germany - San Diego (CA), USA - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Madrid, Spain - Lyon, France - Selma (AL), USA - Shanghai, China - Baziège, France - Cologne (NRW), Germany - North Bay (ON), Canada - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Stayton (OR), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Hong Kong, China - Trier, Germany - Joensuu, Finland - Paris, France - Greenville (SC), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Cork, Ireland - Bastia, France - Vancouver, Canada - Brookville (OH), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Mainz, Germany - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Zurich, Switzerland
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
A bouquet to all of you in the world
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Up and away
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Fascinating fire engine
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Festival theme week, end.
Fireworkers on duty, but not seeming to mind:
She just made him get up from his sofa to come and watch the parade with her:
More colourful couple:
Green order and security men everywhere:
Severe jury: "Did you see her, she isn't doing her dance steps properly!"
The where more interested in themselves than in the parade:
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Festival theme week, part 3
Today, I will show you some other groups participating at the procession.
Old men walking:
Everybody is proudly giving a hand:
Harmony in blue:
42-year-old women, giggling:
Float with full taiko drum power:
I still wonder how there could be spectators (and there were many!) - the whole town's population seemed to participate at the festival. Probably all visitors came from other cities.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Festival theme week, part 2
In Japan, the ages of 25 and 42 are considered as important and often hard ones, where you may have to take difficult decisions and which might be important turning points of your life.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Festival theme week, part 1
I have so many nice pictures from last weeks festival that I decided to use at least some of them for a special theme week about this festival. (Although it's not exactly in Kitakami, but in the small neighbourtown Esashi, 10 km south. But Kitakami has a very similar festival in late summer.).
Housewifes dedicated to traffic safety.
Tomorrow, I'll show you the procession's special events.
For the sound of the festival, click here, here or here (I uploaded some short videos).
Monday, May 07, 2007
Carp family
The silk carps are also raised as decoration at lots of places, here at the cherry avenue along the Kitakami river.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Kodomo no hi
This is on of the numerous kodomo no hi-arrangements sold in all department stores and some smaller shops specialised in such traditional stuff.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
May theme day: City exchange
This month's theme is " Post a photo of another city (than yours)", so here it is - though it's not exactly a city, not even a village:
Fereriwo, a temporary settlement of Fulani semi nomadic herders, in the Sahel of Burkina Faso (West Africa).I had the chance to do ethnobotanical field research there, spending every year 4 to 6 weeks at this place, during five years. It was a fantastic experience.
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Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday morning, 10°C
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Finally: Hanami
On this shot, you can see a neatly arranged picnic place; people often
come already in the morning, to "reserve" the best spots, by setting up their picnic equipment.
Today, full bloom is announced. Infortunately,the weather is nasty, cold wind with sometimes rain - poor tourists who come from far away by hundreds of buses, some even from Tokyo.
Why? Kitakami is officially classified the third most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spot in Northern Japan.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Another dog
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A perfect place ...
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
In case your dog is accompagnying you, you just put it in this cart, to avoid him or her to fool around in the shop, annoying other customers and put dirty paws on the store's clean floor.
It is not meant to put in the puppies you can also buy in the store - if you purchase one, they put it in a closed cardboard box. The other day, I saw a family buying a puppy and then putting the box in the back of the car for going home; I just cannot believe how you can't take this new family member in your arms to bring it home. But probably they bought it for chaining it in the back of their house, like so many dogs live here in Japan, so it better get used to not living close to the family soon.
I will NEVER understand the japanese attitude towards dogs - either they treat them like babies, dress, hairdress and even manicure them, or the chain them up or put them in a cage, take them (not all) for a short walk once a day, and that's all.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Kaiten sushi
A sushi type which is definitely not my cup of tea: uni (sea urchin). It's considered a delicacy here.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Futons in the sun
All japanese apartments have at least on small, narrow balcony - not to sit there, of course (nobody here ever sits on his balcony, just like nobody ever sits in his garden), but to dry the bedding.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
After the election
Actually the democrates won, and now the 42-year old Takuya Tasso (not the one on the picture) is Japans youngest governor. The Great Sassuke (see post April 2nd) lost.
PS: Nothing new about cherry blossoms yet - but for loads of spectacular photos from cherry blossoming in Kyoto, see here.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Sea grapes
It's called umi budo (sea grapes) and it is a delicate, light-green seaweed with small bubbles covering its branches all over. It's scientific name should be Caulepa rentillifera. When you eat it, the bubbles pop nicely in your mouth, leaving a salty sea taste. They are rich in minerals, and I read they can inhibit the growth of cancer and boost immune system.
If you want to know more about Okinawa and this seaweed, go here.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Drinking fountain with hotspring water
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Sick pines
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The mushroom can hunt edible wild plants
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Old hotel bus with new passenger
Monday, April 02, 2007
The governor candidate Nr. 5
I wonder if many people take him seriously - on the other hand, the Japanese just love manga and eccentric people.
I'll let you know his result!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
April Theme Day: A public mail box
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
How very thoughtful
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
That's Japan, too
Some time ago, I read an explanation for this: The Japanese consider men as part of nature, and therefore everything made by men as well. So every old car belongs to nature, too, and so it's perfectly normal to leave it in some nice forest in the mountains, quickly overgrown by plants and slowly rusting away.





