Adachi Museum in Matsue

The day before Soko's wedding Aya and I went to the Adachi Museum in Matsue. This is one of the "top rated Japanse Gardens in Japan", according to an American Magazine on Japanese Gardens. I find that kind of like a Japanese magazine ranking suburban neighborhood develoments in the US.Great example of 'Shakkei', or 'borrowed landscape' in Japanese garden design

Stone Bridge connecting 'islands in the sea'

Stone pathway of islands

I have to believe that the leaves did not fall in quite the perfect order that they appear to in this garden. But it does make a nice effect.

I like the pattern of islands and the line of roof tiles

Maple and moss

Spring detail

It just seems too perfect to me.

View of the garden from inside the museum (thus the blue tint)

Post Card - this tree was placed just outside of the window to frame the view of the garden. They have a huge picture exactly like this beside the window just in case dense people like myself don't understand at first glance.

We could not have timed it better in terms of fall color.

The koi pond

Someone really likes stone bridges

and stone paths

Kare San Sui or dry garden detail

I found the pattern of this bamboo fence interesting

Tottori Wedding

Last weekend we were in Tottori Prefecture for Soko's (one of Aya's friends from college) wedding to Yamada-san. Her husband is a monk so the wedding was very traditional and held at his father's temple in Akasaki.

The wedding procession. That is Soko under the red umbrella.

It was interesting to see all of the people from the neighborhood come up to watch. They were not formally invited to the ceremony but were allowed to hang out in the temple garden and look in on the proceedings. It is a small village so word spreads quickly, and likely everyone already knew since this is also the temple where they come to pray and celebrate

The interior of the temple was beautiful

The ceremony

The monk performing the ceremony.

Part of the ceremony involves saying a prayer and everyone drinking a small bowl of sake

The altar after the ceremony.

Soko looking out the window after the wedding

The Temple Belfry and courtyard

A pretty nice live/work environment if you ask me

The bride & groom and their parents at the reception

Yamada-san and all of the elder monks of his Monastery

It is traditional for the families of those married to go to each table and pour drinks for everyone. This is Yamada-san (grooms father). I think it is also required for all younger Japanese women to give a peace sign in pictures. For guys it is optional, but highly recommended.

The candle ceremony is part of the western reception once they change into a tux and gown

Aya, Soko, & Fukui - another friend from college

Aya and Soko, peace signs are just cut off

Soko and her other close friends. I think that custom allows a guy to hold up double peace which is the equivilent of 3 girls giving the peace sign. The whole rules to the peace sign are really confusing.

Aya and Soko finally got a chance to really talk later that night once everyone else left.

Azabu Juban, Roppongi, & Mori Arts Center

2 weeks ago we met Yuri & Kinoto in Azabu Juban and walked to Roppongi to see an exhibit at the Mori Arts Center

A plaza designed by Keikan Sekkei

Around Roppongi Hills there is a series of benches designed by various artists that are very interesting, and a nice way to incorporate art into a space in a functional manner

Everything is a bit blue because it was an overcast day but bright, and I could not get the white balance settings to work for me very well.

Performance space and plaza at Roppongi Hills

Interesting decking

Hello!

The roadway system, especially the elevated highways interests me. It is strange to look over at the 5th-6th floor of a building when you are on the highways.

The interchanges in Tokyo make those of Atlanta look simple.

When you get up high enough you can see that there are significant areas of green space preserved in the heart of the city

We went to see an exhibit called Sensing Nature, which explored Japanese perception of nature. This installation entitled 'Snow', was a room full of feathers with fans on timers. The feathers were picked up and then swirled around the room by the wind then allowed to slowly drift to the ground again when the fans went off.

The lighting on the back side of the feather display made it kind of look like people were floating

'Model of Oblivion' depicts pure white cliffs with blood running from them.

It made for interesting photos

'Wald aus Wald' (Forset from Forest) was a forest made of Japanese paper. You first experience the space "underground" in the realm of the insects and burrowing animals.

From stragegically placed holes you are able to pop up into the forest above seeing the world from the perspective of an animal emerging from its home.

'Inseln' (Islands) depicts the land mass that is largely forgotten laying below the surface of the sea (depicted by the sheet of glass)

The book lounge of the museum

Tokyo tower at night.