Photo of the Day Archive for September 2003

by Albert Wen, Nov 15, 2006 | Destinations: Thailand
This rice-straw wrapper protects the bark of a tree in Hama Rikyu Koen, the Detached Palace Garden. Originally a hunting preserve for the Tokugawa Shogunate, Hama Rikyu is one of Tokyo's most opulent gardens, located in the Ginza district on an island connected to the mainland by the Nanmon Bridge which arches over an ancient walled moat. The garden features exquisite topiary, moon-watching pavilions and a salt-water tide pool.

This rice-straw wrapper protects the bark of a tree in Hama Rikyu Koen, the Detached Palace Garden. Originally a hunting preserve for the Tokugawa Shogunate, Hama Rikyu is one of Tokyo's most opulent gardens, located in the Ginza district on an island connected to the mainland by the Nanmon Bridge which arches over an ancient walled moat. The garden features exquisite topiary, moon-watching pavilions and a salt-water tide pool.

This rice-straw wrapper protects the bark of a tree in Hama Rikyu Koen, the Detached Palace Garden. Originally a hunting preserve for the Tokugawa Shogunate, Hama Rikyu is one of Tokyo's most opulent gardens, located in the Ginza district on an island connected to the mainland by the Nanmon Bridge which arches over an ancient walled moat. The garden features exquisite topiary, moon-watching pavilions and a salt-water tide pool.
Beautifully hand carved images of The Lord Buddha fashioned out of old teak tree trunks can be seen throughout Thailand, reminding us of the strong presence of Buddhism in everyday Thai life.
Moon Festival (also known as Mid-Autumn festival, or "Tet Trung Thu" in Vietnam) falls on the 15th day of the eighth moon. On this evening, the moon (the 'harvest moon' to Westerners) always appears at its brightest and fullest. Children in many parts of Asia celebrate the Moon Festival with moon cakes and paper lanterns.
Every year on November 15, Japan celebrates Shichi-Go-San - Children's Day. Dressed in their very finest garments, girls and boys aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven, go with their families to nearby shrines, where they line up, sometimes for hours, to await their turn to be blessed by the presiding priest. After the blessing, the child is presented with a gift of long sticks of candy called chitose-ame, "thousand year sweets," wrapped in ornate bags decorated with cranes and turtles, both symbols of longevity.

Photo of the Day Archive for September 2003

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