Photos, videos and docs of Andrew Trundlewagon, with the keywords: "Japan"

Nigo castle screens DSC 7264(1)

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:13:37 +0000

A detail from a gold covered sliding-screen in Nijo Castle, Kyoto, the Shogun's residence. The palace displays copies of the sliding screens to preserve the originals, however, the castle art gallery shows a few of the originals on a rotating basis. This is a detail from one of them. It is part of the Akikusa Senmenchirashi-zu, or “Folding Fans Falling on Fall Flowers” series from the Fourth Room of the Kuroshoin (Inner Audience Chamber) of Ninomaru-goten Palace. The full work features 46 fan-shaped paintings, each with a different design including landscapes, hibiscus blossoms, willow trees, and poetic themes. The screens are 400 years old, having been completed in 1626.

Fushimi inari banners DSC 6716

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:22:19 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

Red banners, part of the Thousand Tori walk at Fushimi Inari, Kyoto.

I asked Google to translate the meaning of the banners, and this is what it gave. I have no way of knowing if it got it right though, so if anyone reads Japanese script I would love to know if the translation is correct.

FROM GOOGLE: "The red banners (called nobori) represent prayers and gratitude dedicated to specific Shinto deities.

Left Banners (Dark Red)
• 奉納 (Hōnō): The top two horizontal/vertical characters mean "Dedication" or "Offering." This indicates the banner was donated to the shrine by a worshiper.
• 大黒天 (Daikokuten): The banner further back names Daikokuten, the god of wealth, commerce, and agriculture.
• 弁財天 (Benzaiten): The banner closer to the front names Benzaiten, the goddess of music, arts, and water.
• 開運招福 (Kaiun Shōfuku): Written along the sides in smaller text, this translates to "Better fortune and bringing in good luck."

Right Banners (Bright Red)
• 天宇受売命 (Ameno-uzume-no-mikoto): The main vertical text names the Shinto goddess of dawn, mirth, and revelry.
• 芸能・ダンスの神 (Geinō / Dansu no Kami): The small text to the upper right of her name translates explicitly to "God of Performing Arts and Dance". People in entertainment, music, or dance donate these to pray for the improvement of their skills.

Large Torii Gate (Far Left)
• 和田電器株式会社 (Wada Electric Co., Ltd.): The large pillar on the left lists the name of the company that sponsored and donated that specific torii gate".

Tenryu founder zen Bodhidharma-DSC 7394(2)

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:32:30 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

Tenryu-ji is a very large temple complex and garden near Arashiyama, Japan. Among the artworks on display is this hanging scroll depicting the rather severe looking Daruma, or Bodhidharma, a 5th century Indian monk who is credited with bringing Zen Buddhism to China, painted by the abbot, Seiko Hirata (1924-2007).

From the Website for Tenryu-ju temple
“Tenryu-ji was established in 1339 by the shogun Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) in memory of Emperor Go-Daigo (1288-1339), with the eminent Zen master Muso Soseki (1275-1351) appointed as founding abbot. Landed estates were donated to the new temple to help fund its construction, but as the resulting revenues proved insufficient Muso Soseki and Ashikaga Tadayoshi devised a plan to send two trading ships to China and use the resulting profits to complete Tenryu-ji's construction. This plan was a great success, and the temple was officially consecrated in 1345. It was designated first among Kyoto's Five Mountains (the city's five major Zen temples), a ranking it maintains to the present day” (About Tenryu-ji : The official home page of Tenryu-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage site)

nara deer-DSC 6933(2)

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 21:46:48 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

Deer sheltering from the heat in Nara, Japan. The deer in Nara are wild but have been considered sacred for over a thousand years and have no fear of people (or traffic).

dusk-kasuga Taisha-Nara-limstone lanterns DSC 6712

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:27:39 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

A row of stone lanterns along the path to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara, Japan. The shrine is in the ancient Kasugayama Primeval Forest where hunting and logging has been forbidden since 841 A.D. Nara is famous for its deer which are unafraid of humans and wander freely. It was very spooky at dusk. As the sun set the deer began to make a peculiar, high-pitched bellow, accompanied by monkeys screeching in the trees and birds roosting. I have never heard anything like it.

Katsura river-Arashiyama_DSC 7501(1)

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:43:22 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

An evening by the Katsura river from Arashiyama near Kyoto.

DSC 7298

nobody@ipernity.com (Andrew Trundlewagon) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:21:24 +0000

Andrew Trundlewagon has posted:

Uketa Shrine near the entry to the Hozugawa rapids, near Kyoto.