As we’re in October and that rice is getting harvested little by little, October Matsuri are popping up here and there too. This week-end it was my neighborhood’s shrine, Kumano-jinja‘s turn. We decided to spend some time there today. Not everything went according to plan as rain showers coming

  A short while ago I showed you pictures of a rice field after a thunderstorm. Here are more recent pictures of that same field near my house. The rice is ripening and should be ready for harvest pretty soon (it was planted later than most fields in town, and

  A short while ago, just after a thunderstorm, I went down to the rice field near my house and took the following pictures:                 The pictures could be better, but this way they give you a glimpse of my learning of using

    One of the things I like the most in my neighborhood, is that I’m not always sure whether I live in town or in the country.    

    The small cute shrine in my neighborhood.

    One thing I like about Shintō shrines is that they really come in all shapes and especially sizes. Ranging from huge mountainside shrine complexes like Konpirasan to this very small shrine in my neighborhood. I particularly like the plastic chair in front of it.  

  Another shot taken in my neighborhood. Introducing the Matsunawa Pond (not sure if that’s the real name) whose purpose is – I assume – to provide water to all the rice fields in the neighborhood (it’s not the only one in the area). It doesn’t have much water right

  Here is what you may encounter when you go for a walk in my neighborhood:      

  I wish you all a Happy New Year 2012 and let’s hope this Year of the Dragon brings many good things to all of you!       And as a follow up from yesterday’s post, last night was a very normal night for the most part, except when