This Photo of the Week is from the infamous Gion Kyoto. It is a huge tourist attraction, drawing in tens of millions of Japanese and foreign tourists annually. The highlight has been Kinkakuji or “Golden Pavilion”. However, I decided to show something that you can imagine yourself in… Gion and a rickshaw. You and your boyfriend / girlfriend / husband / wife / family / buddies can rent a kimono (each) and stroll around Kyoto as though you were a Gion resident a hundred years ago, take a rickshaw ride to see a blossoming plum tree, go to a restaurant or tea house, before returning to the kimono rental store, before having a night out on the town. See more Kyoto photos on my PhotoShelter portfolio.
There was an interesting interview regarding the latest attempt to censor the internet with newly proposed legislation called CISPA, here on YouTube. The main argument against it is that it is an internet version of wire-tapping and snooping. For telephones, police need to argue for and have credible evidence to obtain warrants from courts and judges, but CISPA attempts to circumvent this. A spokes woman from the Centre of Democracy and Technology in Washington says that “…it creates a real civil liberties problem”. Furthermore, she states that there are already law enforcement tools that the various police forces are currently using to regulate the internet, and these don’t infringe on civil liberties.
The problem with CISPA, like PIPA and SOPA, is that these are blanket bills, these attempt not to regulate only Americans in America, but anyone who uses internet services that have connections to the US. Potentially, a crackdown on freedom of speech on the internet can impact beyond the US jurisdiction and infringe on the sovereignties of other countries. However, I’m not American, I have never been there, but I don’t want that government (or any other government of a country I have no ties to) obtaining my information. They simply have no sovereign right to my information.
I’ve just received an email alerting me that because of the Easter Holiday, one of the vendors (Adorama Pix) that receives some of my print orders on my PhotoShelter account will be closed from the 5th to the 14th April. Any order that they receive in this time is kept and will be processed as soon as they can after the holidays. I assume there would be a backlog, so if it’s urgent contact me so I can check to see if your order may be delayed, and I could organise for alternative options to be set up in the automated ordering system for you.
I apologise for the inconvenience, and also wish I had advance notice of this interruption.
I was really surprised, perhaps along with about 100 million other residents in Japan, to hear the opening news story at 7pm that a typhoon-like storm is threatening Japan tomorrow (3rd April). That kind of storm that the Japan Meteorological Agency is worried about is reserved only for summer and for actual typhoons; but it’s the end of winter and early spring? We were told that there would be unpredictable consequences and possible erratic weather as a result of unbalancing the climate. I’d like to hear what logic climate skeptics might attempt to use to explain this!
The current storm warning in Japan as at 22.54, 02 April 2012
Left, the storm warning map showing current warnings several hours ahead of the expected storm. Below, boats moored in a marina behind storm surge walls for Typhoon Talas in 2011.
Edit: Updated map, 3rd April, 2012, from the Japan Meteorological Agency website, at 6pm. For related news see the Bloomberg website, and the NHK website.
This Photo of the Week is from the new art collection called “Jazz Improv, portraits of a tog”. Each image has a unique subtitle denoting something about the image. All photos were shot of film (Kodak Ekta100), and appear on the negatives as you see them displayed in the gallery (here Jazz Improv).
In a sense, I love and hate street photography. I love the variety and diversity of people’s existence, and being able to see things. At the same time it can feel creepy and voyeuristic, despite being public; and so these themes are explored. All images are available for electronic download or as high quality art products shipped worldwide.
Jazz Improv, portraits of a tog: Dude & his buddy.
Here is a visual illusion that will take you a while to see. It has taken me a long time to work out how to make this and to do it. Look very closely, and you may see it.
What a day it was. I had spent the afternoon before walking around town finishing the Jazz Improv collection, and then I spent the morning in Kyoto at Fushimi Inari walking up the mountain and down again. Oww, my calf muscles hurt. This image is available for purchase.
A close up of a lantern with the famous torii (gates) of Fushimi Inari Shrine.
On the final day of the Osaka Spring Tournament we enter this day with these stunning facts:
Mongolian Sekiwake-ranked Kakuryu has 13wins-1loss
Fellow Mongolian Hakuho has 12wins-2losses
Kakuryu needs Hakuho to lose to avoid a play-off and to win by regulation.
If Kakuryu wins, he will be the first Sekiwake to win the tournament, and be promoted to the second highest rank Ozeki since 1999.
* Sekiwake is a low rank, Yokuzunas are the highest and most expert ranked wrestlers.
Today
Homasho charges against and defeats the thrusting Miyabiyama.
Toyonoshima defeats Kitataiki by going belly to belly, and wins a pile of cash and also wins his fourth technique prize, which also includes a pile of cash.
Tochinoshin defeats Fujiazuma the dirty way by jumping high and pushing his forearms down on Fujiazuma’s back forcing his to the floor.
Wakakoryu defeats Tochiozan by locking up his arms in a sumo cuddle and forces him out.
Gagamaru defeats Tokyotenho by big-dude barge out
Aminishiki narrowly defeats Aran, as both fall out of the ring. Video replay might have offered a different outcome.
Goeido defeats Kakuryu in a sharp and fast start, causing a huge upset. Kakuryu is now at two losses, matching Hakuho, causing a play-off. Goeido worked hard for his home crowd, and spoilt the tournament for Kakuryu fans. Everybody’s now on edge.
Kotoshogiku slides Kisenosato out of the ring for a cringe-making-fall of the side of the ring. Good sumo from Kotoshogiku.
Harumafuji swings / rolls Koto Ooshu out of the ring. Very spectacular. Everyone in Bulgaria must have cringed and closed their eyes.
Hakuho struggles against the Estonian Baruto and almost loses.
Play-off: Hakuho vs. Kakuryu
I had to turn Twitter off in the lead up as hash-tag #sumo was overwhelming my computer! Wow! Twitter was going wild!
Kakuryu wasn’t mentally prepared enough with his eyes, for the first time, too close on the prize. Exciting. Hakuho forced Kakuryu to the edge of the ring, kakuryu came so close with his feel on the hay bales, and heels so close to the dirt, Kakuryu was able to lever forward a little, rescued himself, just to be rolled over any way. He will be promoted to Ozeki any way. The whole situation reminds me of the wonderful potential of Harumafuji. Well done to Hakuho, and to Kakuryu for his first attempt at the Emperors Cup.
Yes, it is possible to watch the sumo on the internet. Currently, I have a link for the Japanese-only in-stadium live footage. The national broadcaster do have English speaking commentators, but I don’t think that footage feed is available on the internet. If you do find it, I would really like to share it with other blog readers.
Tournaments are held in the middle 15 days of the month, starting on the second Sunday of the month. Tournaments are held in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Coverage starts at about 11am, but it’s only worth watching from about 4pm until 6pm Tokyo time (7-9am GMT).
