More Azabu Juban Banners

I really enjoy the banners that change with the seasons and holidays in Azabu Juban. Often when I am walking though this part of Tokyo, I take a photo of the current banner. The artists or artists tasked with producing these are very talented. Here a few from earlier this year.

The first is for hinamatsuri or girls day, and the second is for setsubun.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.0, ISO 400, 1/25 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/5.6 AI-S @ f2.0, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Meerkats and some lavendar

Several weeks ago the family visited Zoorasia just outside Tokyo. It's been several years since we last visited, but the park has made some improvements and added a new section to explore, the African Savannah.

I wasn't able to catch great photos of the animals exhibited on this outing. However, I did get a nice shot of some Spanish lavendar growing near the entrance and a profile shot of a meerkat doing what they do best, being a sentry.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 120 mm, f8.0, ISO 100, 1/100 sec.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 145 mm, f4.0, ISO 100, 1/640 sec.

Four-Trains, Three-Bridges, Two-Tunnels and the Kanda River from Hijiri-bashi

Several weeks ago I went across town to enjoy the 2015 Kanda Matsuri. I took my camera, but I wasn't very lucky (or proficient). My shots of the matsuri parade (or procession) seemed rather dull and poorly composed. It was dusk, and the lighting was very challenging. Many of my shots were blurred or out-of-focus.

However, on the way back to Ochanomizu Station I stopped to take photos from Hijiri-bashi. In this shot, there are four-trains, three-bridges, two-tunnels and the Kanda River. Two-trains are running on the Marunochi Subway line, one-train is on JR Chou Main Line and the train further away crossing the double-bridge is on the JR Sobu Main Line. This scene makes me want to build a model train set based on this location.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 26 mm, f4.0, ISO 800, 1/2 sec.

Tancho Rose at the Yoyogi Park Rose Garden

This vibrant rose variety is called "Tancho". According to the nearby signage, this variety was developed in 1986.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 400, 1/160 sec.

"Carefully Wonder" Why? or a Yoyogi Rose

Not sure why, but this variety of pink rose is called "Carefully Wonder". I just wondered why?

There was a light sprinkle this morning when I went to Yoyogi Park to visit the rose garden. The roses are in in full bloom right now and are magnificent. There was just enough rain to keep others away, and to leave water droplets glistening on the delicate petals.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 200, 1/320 sec.

Matching Outfits with Your Pooches (or Dress Like Your Dogs!)

I didn't know it was a thing, but there are dog outfits that match outfits for people. I am very impressed that this "family" was bold enough to step out and share this gift of fashion with my family. We enjoyed it very much and am grateful to have witnessed this. It brings a smile to my face that that returns every time I think about these three cute dogs and their fashionable owners.

(Here's my confession... As a family we have indulged ourselves at least once and dressed in matching outfits to amuse. It was about a year after we had moved to Japan (perhaps 2008 or 2009?) and we used a gift certificate from a Hawaiian boutique in Kailua to purchase matching outfits . This is not some thing we normally do as a family, but we wore them to Mother's Day Brunch at Roy's in Roppongi Hills. We did wear these clothes several more times together as a family and more times separately. The clothes were quiet attractive and we received many compliments. However, we are not the sort of family that dresses alike often. Do you think we will see this "family" in the park dressed alike again?)

Nikon D600 with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF @ 125 mm, f2.8, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Spring Maple in Moto-Azabu

This morning, the family was my children's elementary school annual family flea market. I have been borrowing my co-worker's Nikon D800 and used it along with my Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF to take photos of my son's taiko performance. None of the taiko photos struck me as exceptional, but this shot of a beautiful Japanese maple tree at the entrance to the school caught my fancy.

Nikon D800 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f1.4, ISO 500, 1/8 sec.

White Amaryllis and Japanese Breakfast at Girandole, Park Hyatt Shinjuku

On the my mother's last morning in Tokyo before departing from Narita Airport, we visited the Park Hyatt Tokyo in Shinjuku for an elegant late breakfast at Girandole on the 41st floor. As expected, the restaurant had great design and fresh bouquets of beautiful white amaryllis on prominent display. Our delicious savory Japanese breakfast, included tofu, grilled fish, miso soup, tamagoyaki, and oshinko (pickled vegetables).

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/30 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 27 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/20 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4.0, ISO 400, 1/40 sec.

DISOBEY Disney

My mother was in Tokyo in early April, and we choose to spend a day with at Tokyo Disney Sea with her and my children. Lucky for us, the weather was perfect and it was less crowded than normal, since it was the start of the new school year and fiscal year in Japan.

In Japan and many other places, wearing the same outfits in a public place is one ways of bonding with friends. These girls deserve credit for choosing something with a little subversive edge that may have stirred up controversy (and potentially refused entry) if they tried to enter a Disney amusement park in the US. However, they may have not know the meaning of the gesture on they shirt. Regardless to say when worn by a group of six cute girls, with matching hair, shorts and socks this message may be off-point and lost in translation.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-Sf4.0, ISO 100, 1/1600 sec.

My daughter spotted another Mejiro

In March, my daughter spotted several mejiro checking out the blooms on a tree (plum?) near our house. This shot wasn't as lucky (or as good) as the shot posted last year at Heiwa No Mori Koen, but it's not bad. These little mejiro are fast and don't give you much time to compose. Too bad I didn't have my long zoom with me, but the 105-mm did a fine job and because this lens is super sharp it crops well. The original and cropped version are posted for comparison.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.