Summer Clouds

Naomi and I have taken a bit of a break from the blog. As long-time readers have noticed, we have been moving quite a bit over the last few years. When we started Hakusan Creation in 2013, we focused on our life in rural Maine. We have also shared many stories from our travels. Over the next few months, Naomi and I will be evaluating the direction we would like to take with our blog and the stories we would like to share. We will of course continue to share our photography. We hope you will continue this journey with us.

Sacred Spaces, Part 2

The entrance to Atago Jinja, founded in 1603, marked by the shinto Tori gate or Torii. Built on one of the highest points in Edo overlooking the bay (26 m, 85 ft.), the shrine was famous for its views. Today, that view is obscured by buildings. The fire god Homusubi-no-mikoto is the main deity, reflecting how deadly and feared fires were to the Edo population. From the book Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Emptiness: Tokyo Landscapes. Click on the image for a larger view.

Sacred Spaces, Part 1

Shusse Inari Jinja, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. The shrine was founded in 1620 by Lady Kasuga, a powerful woman in the Tokugawa Shogunate. The sound that periodically sweeps through the shrine is a cross between wind and thunder—the noise of the Thunder Dolphin roller coaster, the structure in the background, as the cars pass the gap between the buildings. From the book Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Emptiness: Tokyo Landscapes. Click on the image for a larger view.