Hototogisu Unusual autumn flowers blooming in the mountains Lovely ♬

Some more photos I took at Todaiji Temple. The first statue is of Vaisravana (多聞天/毘沙門天), another of the Four Heavenly Kings, holding a staff and some sort of small pagoda,. The second statue is Cintamanicakra (如意輪観音), a bodhisattva. The third photo is a (unfortunately poor quality) photo of Vairocana, the Cosmic Buddha from my understanding. The rest of the photos are models of Todaiji's Great Buddha Hall from 800 and 300 years ago, and Nandai-mon, the Great South Gate. The pagoda is, from my understanding, a replica of one of the lost pagodas that used to be located at Todaiji Temple, but I believe was burnt down? I could be wrong about that though. Then last is a photo of the heads of Virudhaka (増長天)(left), and Dhrtarastra (持国天)(right), two of the Four Heavenly Kings. Lots of cool stuff to be seen at Todaiji! Definitely recommend it. My photos don't do it justice at all.

Higan flowers were blooming and I felt autumn! It was very beautiful and I fell in love with it! ?

I found some photos of when I visited Todaiji Temple. I took a photo of the bronze lantern out front of the temple because I thought it looked really cool, but it's pretty crazy to think that the lantern is around 1,300 years old at this point. I also took some photos of a few of the statues inside the temple, the first being Akasagarbha (虚空蔵菩薩), one of the Eight Great Bodhisattva, and the second (which took me forever to find the name of...) being Virupaksa (広目天), one of the Four Heavenly Kings. I'm not sure what Virupaksa is made of but I think this statue is made of wood, although I could be wrong. It looks like a different material from the other statues inside the temple, although it's been quite a while since I visited and I can't recall exactly. All the statues are really awesome though. I'll have to upload some more photos later!

Higanbana It was a day to feel autumn.

Ears of rice shining in the morning Rice harvesting will soon flourish Fruiting autumn I am grateful

Hitachi-Ota, Ibaraki Afternoon light awn

Some photos I took at Nijo Castle in spring 2018. You can see the cherry blossoms in some of the photos just starting to bloom, but not quite in full bloom, and the rest of the gardens were really enjoyable as well. I really liked the gold decorations/designs on the buildings. The gate was also really cool. I believe it's called Karamon Gate although I'm not 100% sure on that. The moat around the castle was pretty neat as well, I can imagine it was a strong fortification, especially since it belonged to Tokugawa Ieyasu, although I'm not entirely sure about the rest of the castle's history. The photos of the moat and surrounding area were taken from on top of a small vantage point, and I wonder if it was originally some sort of turret, but I'm not sure about that either. Either way, I definitely recommend giving it a visit to anyone in Kyoto or anyone planning to visit Kyoto. I believe it was relatively close to the Golden Pavilion as well, so if you have the chance, why not?

Autumn of Japan Metasequoia avenue It is said to be the best in autumn trees in the Japan, and the tunnel row lasts for about 2.2 km. It is also a place that is certified as a Kansai spot. In Shiga

Yae autumn cherry blossoms and dahlias The flowers are beautiful and nice.

Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture Torii gate of Ōkojiniso The rougher the waves, the more emotional

A photo I took a few years ago during a trip to Osaka! A waterfall at Mino Park during late spring/early winter. I'd like to visit here again during autumn, as I imagine that the leaves around the waterfall and the rest of the area would look really beautiful. One thing I really liked about Osaka was the contrast of the city to this national park. Also there is tons of cool stuff to see near Dotonbori, especially with all the food vendors and stuff in the area. From my understanding, Mino Park is apparently one of Japan's smallest national parks but it was actually a pretty long walk to get to the waterfall. If I remember correctly it took about 40 minutes and we were moving at a pretty good pace. It was a good workout though lol! Hope I can visit again soon after the pandemic ends!

Tsutashinuma, Towada, Aomori

[English/Japanese] Continuing from last week, I would like to introduce the rules of Japanese companies. (1) Is everyone wearing the same clothes? Job hunting When international students are looking for a job, the first thing they do is to buy a recruiting suit. This is because the suits that foreign students bring from their home countries are all shiny and cannot be used for job hunting. When looking for a job in Japan, a black suit with a white shirt is the standard. In addition to this, students who dye their hair should make it the same color as their natural hair, and students with beards should shave their beards. Accessories should be removed and shoes should be low heeled. Women should wear light makeup and wear their hair in a bun. If you do all of these things, all job hunters will look like the same person. Job hunters use the same appearance to show off their individuality. Some students from foreign countries think that their appearance is also their personality and refuse to shave their beards. Depending on the type of business, you may not have to wear a recruiting suit, but most companies will first look at your appearance to see if you can follow Japanese rules. You should polish your Japanese language skills so that you can appeal your personality in your speech. (2) Japanese companies are still old-fashioned. For a long time, Japanese people have had a negative image of working too much, working too much overtime, increasing salary with age, male dominated society, and difficulty in taking vacations. In modern times, this is gradually improving, but there are still many companies that have this tendency. For example, let's say you have plans to go on a trip on your day off. You tell the people at work about it. Do you know what you should do the next time you go to the office? Usually, Japanese people buy as many souvenirs as the number of employees in the company (the number of employees in the department). Also, when you give out souvenirs, you give them out to the people with the highest positions first. Furthermore, if the trip was not on a holiday, but on a paid holiday, you would say to the other employees, "I apologize for the inconvenience." It is very difficult to understand the unique culture within a company from the beginning. First of all, you should look at the Japanese people around you and observe what they are doing. Also, many Japanese companies have a system where senior employees teach newcomers their jobs when they join the company. As a newcomer, you may want to ask your senior employees a lot of questions. (3) On and off I once heard this story from an international student. "I was invited to a drinking party at my part-time job. I don't drink alcohol, so I refused, but they kept inviting me, so I went. I was able to have a good time at the party. Some of us became good friends. The next day at my part-time job, I was talked to in a fun way as I had been at the drinking party, but I was given a cold attitude. Did I do something wrong?" Why do you think this happened to her? Japanese people don't chat much during work, but after work, they sometimes communicate over drinks. This is called "Nominication". It is a word coined from the Japanese words "nomu (drink)" and "communication. At drinking parties, people drink happily regardless of age or position. However, this is only for drinking parties. Also, when we meet at work, we switch to work mode. It is considered bad to go to the office in the same atmosphere of a drinking party. Try to think of it as a clear distinction between on and off, not a sudden coldness. This is only a small part of what I have covered in this blog. The unique culture of the company is something that even Japanese people have to get used to. Let's learn them little by little. Don't forget to keep a "memo" in your pocket when you learn. This is also a part of Japanese culture. Continuing from last week, I will introduce the rules of Japan company. (1) Are we all wearing the same clothes? Job hunting When international students are looking for a job, they start by buying a recruit suit. This is because all the suits brought by international students from their countries are shiny and cannot be used for job hunting. When you get a job in Japan, you basically wear a white shirt and a black suit. In addition to this, students who dye their hair should have the same color as their natural hair, and students with beards will shave their beards. Remove accessories and wear shoes with low heels. Women also lighten their makeup and tie their hair together. If you put all of this in place, job hunting students will all look the same person. Job hunting students show off their individuality with similar appearances. Some international students refuse to shave because they think that their appearance is their personality. Depending on the industry, you may not be required to wear a recruiting suit, but most companies will first determine whether you can follow the rules of Japan based on your appearance. Hone your Japanese skills so that you can show off your personality in your speeches. (2) A company with a Japan that is still old Traditionally Japan people have had negative images such as "working too much," "working a lot of overtime," "salary increases with age," "male society," and "difficulty taking vacations." In modern times, improvements are being made little by little, but there are still many companies that have this trend. For example, let's say you plan to go on a holiday trip. I told the people at the company about it. Do you know what to do the next time you go to work? Usually, Japan people buy as many souvenirs as there are employees in the company (the number of employees in the department). Also, when handing out souvenirs, they are distributed in order of position. In addition, if you went on a trip not on a holiday and used paid leave, we will hand out souvenirs with the words "We apologize for the inconvenience." It is very difficult to understand the unique culture of a company from the beginning. First of all, look at the Japan people around you and observe what they are doing. In addition, Japan companies often have a system in which senior employees teach newcomers about work when they join the company. If you are a newcomer, you may want to ask various questions from senior employees. (3) On and Off I have heard this story from international students. "I was invited to a drinking party at my part-time job, and I refused because I couldn't drink, but I was invited many times, so I went. We had a good time at the drinking party. Some people have become good friends. The next day, when I was happily talked to like I had at a drinking party at my part-time job, I was treated coldly. Did I do something wrong?" Why do you think this happened? Japan people don't chat much at work, but they sometimes communicate over drinks after work. This is called "nomination." It is a coined word that combines the words "drink" and "communication" in Japanese. At drinking parties, people enjoy drinking regardless of age or position. However, this is only for drinking parties. Also, when you meet at work, it switches to work mode. It is considered bad to go to the office in the atmosphere of a drinking party. It's not that you've suddenly become cold, but rather that there is a clear separation between on and off. This is just a small part of what I have put on my blog. The unique culture of a company is full of things that you can't understand unless you are a Japan person. Let's remember it little by little. Don't forget to keep a note in your pocket when memorizing. This is also a culture of Japan.

Autumn in Japan Refreshment unique to Arashiyama Kyoto Prefecture

Hitachiomiya, Ibaraki Yokogawa Falls

The factory that I usually go to casually at night ...

A photo I took of Tatsuko, the golden lady of the lake at Lake Tazawa in Semboku, Akita 4 years ago. I really love everything about Akita, there's so much natural beauty in the area, especially around this lake. I'd like to go back during the summer (this was taken in early fall) and try some kayaking on the lake. I'd also like to go cycling around the lake if possible, it'd be some good exercise at the very least. Anyways, for those unfamiliar with the legend of Tatsuko, from my understanding, she was a girl who wished for eternal beauty but was turned into a dragon, and so she drowned herself in the lake. It sounds kind of dark, but apparently she and another dragon fell in love with one another and together they keep the lake from freezing during winter. Considering how cold it gets during winter in Akita, or at least that year in Akita, that's a pretty impressive feat!

Daigo Town, Ibaraki Prefecture Tsukimachi Falls The power of the maximum amount of water due to continuous rain

Went to a nearby waterfront park area and saw some yakatabune and other nice views. Got some nice fresh air together and even saw someone catch a fish. It looked like a pretty decent size fish too, but I couldn’t take a photo of it. We realized the planters on the way back were shaped like small boats so I took a photo of one. Thought it was kind of neat

This is the autumn foliage scenery of Koankyo in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. This is a canyon formed by the deep erosion of both banks of the Minase River over many years. When you go down the stairs of the rocks, there is a promenade at the end of which there is a "large spout" where hot water and steam of 98°C are gushing out violently. Fresh green in spring, autumn leaves. And in winter, you can enjoy the large icicles "shigakko" that descend into the canyon. This photo was taken overlooking the autumn foliage scenery from Kawarayu Bridge.

This is the autumn foliage scenery of Koankyo in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. This is a canyon formed by the deep erosion of both banks of the Minase River over many years. When you go down the stairs of the rocks, there is a promenade at the end of which there is a "large spout" where hot water and steam of 98°C are gushing out violently. Fresh green in spring, autumn leaves. And in winter, you can enjoy the large icicles "shigakko" that descend into the canyon. This photo was taken overlooking the autumn foliage scenery from Kawarayu Bridge.

This is the autumn foliage scenery of the Kinhana Valley in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture. Xiangbang Valley is one of the 100 Japan Scenic Spots, and is a valley of about 2 km that was formed by the erosion of limestone by the Sunatetsu River. Cliffs about 100 meters high stand on both banks, and the flow of the mountain stream is very quiet. On the boat descent, the boatman skillfully maneuvers the boat with a single rod and tells you "Geibi Oiwake". Of course, the autumn leaves are splendid, but when the wisteria flowers bloom in the season of fresh greenery, they are also quaint and emotional.

This is the autumn foliage scenery of the Kuzumaru River mountain stream in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture. The upper reaches of the Kuzumaru River, which flows from the bosom of the Ou Mountains, are attractive spots with beautiful scenery throughout the four seasons. This place also appears in Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tales, but it seems to have a nostalgic atmosphere somewhere. The splash of the waterfall is shining on the far left, but I like the fairy tale atmosphere, so I will post it.

This is the autumn foliage scenery of the Kuzumaru River mountain stream in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture. The upper reaches of the Kuzumaru River, which flows from the bosom of the Ou Mountains, are attractive spots with beautiful scenery throughout the four seasons. This place also appears in Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tales, but it seems to have a nostalgic atmosphere somewhere.

This is the autumn foliage scenery of Tsuta Akanuma in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture. Tsuta Akanuma is one of the seven Tsuta swamps in the Hakkoda area of Aomori Prefecture. It is a swamp with highly transparent water and beautiful surrounding scenery, and you can see Mt. Akakura of the Hakkoda mountain range. The first climb of the mountain trail is difficult, but the rest is relatively easy to walk.

Cosmos field! Lots of beautiful cosmos!

I went to the cosmos field!

There were cosmos flowers blooming in the lake, and it was very beautiful!

One of the three mountains of Dewa, Yudonoyama. It is said to be a sacred place where yamabushi who train in the mountains are reborn. I feel the majesty of the large torii gate that assimilates into Nishiki Autumn. Mt. Yudono, one of the three mountains of Dewa, in Tohoku region. It is said to be a sacred place where Yamabushi (mountain priest), who practices in the mountains with the belief in reincarnation. Standing there alone, I felt the overwhelming majesty of the Otorii (the giant gate) that blends in the autumn colors.