Trees of Tokyo, Part 2: Ginkgo and Cypress

Just before my Mac crashed a few weeks ago, I had uploaded to my server a boatload of tree-related pictures from my trip to Japan. So, to keep the blog going while I don’t have my Mac to do my regular photo editing, here are some more pictures of Japan trees.

Above, this is the very first picture I took in Japan outside of my host family’s home. I love the buildings and architecture in Japan, which are almost always surrounded by beautiful gardens. Note the hint of a tall building in the background. This particular temple is in the neighborhood near Beth and Rich’s apartment in Nishiazabu.

The cypress trees in Kamakura were said to have been there since the 13th century. I could study Japanese art and architecture, roaming the temples, mountains and landscapes for a year and never get bored. Here’s a good web site for travel and walking information if you’re planning to go to Kamakura. Best to go on a weekday, and not a national holiday, for the most zen-like experience. It gets really crowded here on weekends and holidays!

I could kick myself. When I first arrived in Kamakura, I got off the train, then walked a little, then came to a gate and turned to my left, and I was literally weak in the knees from the beauty of the first temple grounds I saw. A picture of that would be worth the thousand words I could write to describe it, but I didn’t take the picture. Something about the landscape told me not to, as if taking the photograph would have ruined the quiet nature of the morning. After walking around for 20 minutes or so, enjoying songs of the birds and appreciating the incorporation of plain, yet beautiful wood structures into the mountainside, I did take a few shots of close up things, such as the one above. Now that I’m home and the memory of that first stunning vista is beginning to fade, I really wish I had a picture of it. I MUST GO BACK! I’d love to see it in the fall anyway.

This is the same temple where the sweet monk allowed me to take a picture of him. I’ve posted it before, but here it is again in case you missed it. I still love watching my Japan photojourney slide show!

See the lush green of this place? It’s easy to see why so many people come here to find relaxation and peace. (But again, go on a weekday morning for the most peace!)

A group of monks had been walking up the hill in the direction of that building. It struck me as interesting, seeing the monks walking, because they were wearing robes like any other monk, but a few of them were talking on cell phones. I missed getting their picture because I had been focusing on some far off bird and had my camera settings all wrong for a large group of people walking close by. In the blink of an eye, they cell phone monks were gone. But I love the picture above because of the serenity of the rocks, water, wood and landscape. The trees, especially, were so beautiful with the light green of emerging growth.

I wanted to check out that cave! Aren’t those trees interesting too? The landscape in Japan looks so different from how it looks here.

I also found many newly planted trees. As you might know, I love to watch trees grow!

This lush garden was behind Beth’s Uncle Mike’s house. I love how people work to make green spaces in the middle of a huge city.

I loved all the ginkgo trees I saw in Japan. Wish I could be there to see them in fall. Ginkgo trees are so pretty in fall!

When Beth and I were in Kamakura, we shared a little bag of roasted ginkgo nuts. I was STARVING but those ginkgo nuts were so filling I had plenty of energy for walking for the rest of the day!

More picture of trees from my Japan trip coming soon! But I can’t wait to get back to editing all the fun shoots I’ve been doing: Lucybug, Vanessa and Chris, Jamie, the Vermont adventure, Lexi and Andy, Eileen and AJ, the FAB family, the beautiful pictures of 12-day-old baby Charlotte, and lots of fall tree pictures and all the galleries I need to put up. UGH! I’m getting so behind! New computer, please get here soon!