Photo walk around Lake Sagami 相模湖 神奈川県

A classical lake-side town taken with a classical lens.  

Location:Lake Sagami, Kanagawa（神奈川県 相模湖）

Camera: Fujifilm X-T30 etc.

Lens: Asahi Pentax Super Takumar Super Takumar 50mm F1.4 etc.

I am always looking for some good places to take photos with classical lens, and I visited Lake Sagami which is located in Kanagawa Pref. This lake has an old style lake-side town and huge pleasure boats which are also very classical and nostalgic. 

Not only the atmosphere of the city, but I also use classical lens named "Asahi Super Takumar 50mm F1.4". This lens was first on sale in 60s, so as you can find above, the lens is coloured in yellow! Digital cameras can automatically adjust the white balance so you can use this lens without any issues, but I canceled the auto-adjustment to use this feature of this lens and make my photos more "nostalgic".

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

Lake Sagami Information (JP)

Photo walk in past US navy houses, Johnson town ジョンソンタウン 埼玉県

An American town near Tokyo.

Location:Johnson Town, Saitama （ジョンソンタウン 埼玉県）
Date: 27 June 2020

Camera: Fujifilm X-T30

Lens: Rikenon XR Rikenon 50mm F2 L, Wtulens

”Nostalgia" is one of my photo theme. Tokyo is typically featured with technology and sci-fi atmosphere. However, when you go to rural areas from Tokyo, you can find such a "nostalgic" scenery around you.

Johnson town is a small town in Saitama pref with restaurants and shops which features classical American style houses. It is close to Tokyo and very good place to feel nostalgic air (though I've never been to the US!). The photos below are taken with old lenses or a film cameras that make you feel like time travelling back to 80s.

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

 

Johnson Town (JP)

 

Hydrangea + classical lens part 1/2: Helios M44-2 58mm F2 [June 2019]

Blue and pink flowers blooming in a rainy season of June.

Location:Hakusan-jinja shrine（白山神社） & Asukayama park（飛鳥山公園）, Tokyo
Date: 9 June 2019

Camera: Fujifilm X-T30

Lens: Helios M44-2 58mm F2

June is a rainy season in Japan called "Tsuyu（梅雨）". Lots of rainy days, high humidity and increasing temperature towards summer usually make feel down. However, I love this rainy season because June is also a season of hydrangea in Japan (and a month of my birthday!).

Many parks, temples or shrines across Japan have hydrangea gardens, and most of them open the hydrangea festival in June.  Part 1 is photos from Hakusan-Jinja shrine（白山神社）and Asukayama park（飛鳥山公園）. They are famous for the hydrangea festivals, but not so crowded like hydrangea temples in Kamakura（鎌倉）.

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. 

 

Link to Part 2 is here

Hydrangea (wikipedia)

Hydrangea + classical lens part 2/2: FUJINON 55mm F2.2 [June 2019]

Hydrangea blooms in bright sunny days, too.

Location: Takahata-Fudoson Kongo-ji temple, Tokyo（高幡山明王院金剛寺）
Date: 16 June 2019

Camera: Fujifilm X-T30

Lens: FUJINON 55mm F2.2

June is a rainy season in Japan called "Tsuyu（梅雨）". Lots of rainy days, high humidity and increasing temperature towards summer usually make feel down. However, I love this rainy season because June is also a season of hydrangea in Japan (and a month of my birthday!).

In Part 1, I introduced the hydrangea in Hakusan jinja shrine（白山神社）and Asukayama park（飛鳥山公園）with a impressive blurs and bubbles of an classical Russian lens Helios M44-2. This time I will introduce a hydrangea festival at Takahata-Fudoson Kongo-ji temple (Kongo-ji temple in short) with a special, but cheap Japanese classical lens named FUJINON 55mm F2.2. 

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. 

Link to Kongo-ji is here (English)

Link to Part 1 is here

[Souvenir advice] Japanese calligraphy cards of temples and shrines: Goshuin（御朱印）

This blog is my photo gallery that shows the photos I shot while travelling around Japan, and I often visit temples and shrines for not only taking photos but receiving a calligraphy cards of each temple or shrine called "Goshuin（御朱印）". Recently almost all temples and shrines are providing us their Goshuin with beautiful writings, stamps or even religious pictures! 

Goshuin has a religious meaning, but at the same time, I believe it should be a good souvenir or gift when you travel around Japanese temples and shrines. Therefore this page will briefly introduce you the origin and meaning of Goshuin and how you can get them with some simple conversation samples and my photos of Goshuin and temples/shrines.

Goshuin Album

Photo-hiking in autumn Shosenkyo, Yamanashi Japan （山梨県 昇仙峡） 24 Nov 2019

Photo-hiking in autumn mountain.

Location: Shosenkyo, Yamanashi（山梨県 昇仙峡）

Date:24 November 2019  

Camera: Canon EOS M5, RICOH Theta V

Lens: EF-M 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM, SAMYANG 8mm F3.5 FISH-EYE LENS 

Autumn is my favourite season in Japan, moderate climate to go out, beautiful mountain scenery with coloured leaves and tasty foods!

Shosenkyo（昇仙峡）is a famous mountains for hiking. Tourist info provides us the official hiking route on their web page, which includes the river side route, cable car to the top and beautiful dam lake. You can also walk the whole route, but you can access to the cable car station by car or by city buses. If the weather is good, you can view the peak of Mt Fuji from the cable car station.

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

Shosenkyo official web page (en)

Photo walk in traditional city and garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Japan（石川県 金沢市）30 April 2019

Traditional Japanese garden and cityscape.

Location: Kanazawa, Ishikawa（石川県 金沢市）

Date: 30 April 2019

Camera: Canon EOS M5

Lens: EF-M18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM

It was my first time to visit Kanazawa in Ishikawa Pref. I knew Kanazawa was a famous city that had traditional buildings and Japanese gardens, but I often go to Kyoto to enjoy such kind of cityscapes. While walking around Kanazawa, however, I noticed Kyoto is traditional but developing and Kanazawa is preserving the Japanese tradition in the whole city. 

I visited several spots in Kanazawa in a day. This gallery picks up a Japanese garden named "Kenroku-en （兼六園）" and a street named "Higashi-Chayagai（ひがし茶屋街）" which are very impressive for me. You can enjoy the zen-like spirit in one of the three biggest Japanese garden in Japan and traditional Japanese cityscape in the street. I prefer to visiting such streets at night like I did in Kyoto, too!

I made a photo album at the end of this page which has photos that are not listed on this gallery. Some of the photos are also available at Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

Kenroku-en Official site