This summer I really need to take more photos like this one. Usually I don’t use macro in any of my photography but using it you can get some really good pictures, I will try to find more opportunities to use it this summer, can’t wait until next month!!
By the way, this statue is located somewhere in Mita, if I can remember correctly. Remember my post about Keio University? (here) Well, I actually took this photo on the same day whilst I was taking a walk around the neighborhood!
Here’s a beautiful view of Kyoto during the evening. On the left you can see terraces of restaurants and bars, allowing people to enjoy the view whilst enjoying their food at the same time. It’s quite different compared to all those towering skyscrapers which you see all around central Tokyo. But, that’s what I like about Kyoto; it has a charm of it’s own 
The Gion Matsuri is probably Japan’s most famous festival and spans the whole (!) of July in Kyoto. On various days there are different events which take place but most impressive are the nights leading up to a parade which takes place during the day. I was luckily in Kansai for most of July and so was lucky enough to see some of the Gion festival. There are 3 nights where the streets are closed off for the pedestrians and special floats ride throughout the streets. High up on the floats there are actually musicians who play flutes whilst the procession takes place. There are also stalls selling food and many people come wearing yukata (traditional Japanese clothes for the summer). I was in Kyoto for one of these nights and I was able to take some pictures. After the 3 nights there is a parade which takes place early one morning (I don’t remember the specific date though), I tried to see it but missed it. But, luckily I talked with a woman at the Yasaka Shrine and she told me something else was happening in the evening. I stayed in Kyoto the whole day and in the evening there was a second parade with people dressed in traditional clothing and some special guys riding on horse-back. Anyway, if you’re visiting the Kansai region then it’d be really good if possible to visit Kyoto during July in order to experience the Gion Matsuri- it really is something not to be missed!!
Oh, and just one last thing- the festival was actually started by a cult of the Gion Shrine (The original name for the Yasaka Shrine) in Kyoto as part of their actions to ‘appease’ vengeful spirits known in Japanese as ‘goryou.’ This was back during the Heian Period, a time when a lot of the aristocracy were very supersticious. Enjoy the pictures, I’d love to experience the festival again and take more photos!!
Oh lord, I had my Japanese reading paper today which was less than pleasant… and what’s more is that the worst is yet to come 
On Monday I have my final Japanese language paper, the first half of which is kanji based, second half is for translation. The kanji should be alright, but the translation is a bit of a bitch (most of it is English to Japanese). Anyway, I’ll give it my best shot! I haven’t been updating the blog that much lately and that has to change hehe. I’m planning on writing about Japanese drama, more music and manga. And, also… I’M GONNA BE IN JAPAN FROM JUNE UNTIL SEPTEMBER!!! So, during that time I’ll regularly post whatever new photos I take over here, so hope ya guys look forward to that!
For the moment though, I’ll leave ya with 2 videos of songs which I’m hooked on these days. The first is ‘Jap’ by Abingdon Boys School, it’s used as the opening music for the Sengoku Basara anime (which I am watching, and boy must I say, it’s pretty damn good!). The second video is for the new version of FFVII Advent Children, ‘Safe and Sound’ by Kyosuke Himuro and featuring My Chemical Romance’s Gerrard Way (I don’t like MCR’s music that much, but his singing in this ain’t half bad).
