Also known as Yunyan Temple Pagoda, this pagoda on Tiger Hill is the oldest pagoda in Suzhou and is composed of seven stories.
Animal hide is nailed to the drum barrel. Drums are used in folk performances throughout Japan. Sizes vary - some can be held in the hands, some are taller than the drummers.
The player would kneel right of center. The 13 strings are plucked with picks on the thumb, forefinger and middle finger of the right hand. A number of koto can be played in an ensemble.
A man stands by his shop, selling fresh crab.
An explanation of a standing Buddha sculpture.
A price tag with a punch: this kimono costs about $500.
Small wreaths.
Started in 1908, the modern version of the Nihonbashi Bridge took three years to complete. Nihonbashi was the originating station in the old Tokaido line to Kyoto.
Andy Bernard, St Olaf student, takes some time out from shopping to get his picture taken with a geisha.
Word to the wise, don't buy this bouquet for your date. It's for Buddhist altars only.
Koi at Glover Garden in Nagasaki.
British soldiers and sailors were made welcome at a gala affair in Hibiya Park after the Japanese British Alliance of 1902 was implemented.
Japanese make-up display.
Detail of the tiled roofline at the Meiji Shrine.
A family enjoys a morning together at their local park by eating sweet-bread.
Five calligraphic renderings of the character, 'kuan/guan,' meaning 'to look at, see or behold'. Guide to each character: a. Wang Hsi-chih, 'Essay on Yueh I' b. Chih-yung, 'The Thousand Character Essay (detail)', late 6th century. From 'Shoseki meihin sokan 6,' no. 69; p. 22. c. Ou-yang Hsun, 'Inscription on the Sweet Wine Spring in the Chiu-cheng Palace, 632.' d. Li Yung (678-747 AD) 'Epitaph for the Yun-hui general, Li Ssu-hsun,' after 739. e. Yen Chen-ch'ing, 'Record of the Altar of the Goddess Ma-ku' ; 771 AD
Professor Ernest F. Fenollosa (seated) came to Japan in 1878 to introduce Western art forms, but left Japan with a sincere respect for Japanese painting and sculpting. He is shown here with Okakura Kakuzo.
Rice crackers can be just as appealing as candy.
Futabayam Sadaji (1912-1968) remains a magic name in sumo. The 35th Yokozuna, his record of 69 straight wins still stands. This is a picture of him after he won the summer tournament in 1936.
A giant torii on a mountain path notifies hikers of a nearby shrine.
Around the turn of the century, farmers continued to thatch their roofs despite the modern structures that were being erected in the cities.
Boats docked at Suzhou, nicknamed the "Venice of China" for its many canals.
This painting by Kano Motonobu (1476-1559) shows a spirited steed, restrained by two lines leading from its bridle to stakes in the foreground.
Political cartoon commenting on Hawaii's admittance into the Union. The caption reads: "Please ma'am, may I come in?" and is delivered by a timid chubby child representing Hawaii. Behind the kindly woman, "Miss Columbia," a motley assortment of people is running wild, including a "Chinaman" with a queue being pummeled by another immigrant.
Yamanba describes an otherworldly being who lives deep in the mountains. As the goddess of the mountains, Yamanba lives far outside the human community and is both respected and feared. The Yamanba mask is used in only one Noh play, Yamanba, written by Zeami in his later years, after he had experienced disfavor, exile, and personal diappointment, and it reflects a deeply Buddhist vision. In the play a young dancer, known as Yamanba because of her powerfully evocative performance impersonating the mountain goddess, travels on a pilgrimage through the mountains and meets the real Yamanba, who is portrayed in the first half of the play with a mask used to represent middle-aged women. After revealing her true identity to the girl, she returns in the second half of the play, wearing the Yamanba mask, and through dance and poetic song reveals the depth of her feeling. She describes herself as suspended between two world, the human world and the supernatural world, the world of attachment and the world beyond all emotion. - Andrew Pekarik
