The world is so Kalandrakas…

Japan, as a non-Christian country, does not celebrate Christmas. December 25th is not a national holiday. But Japanese people, as great lovers of festivals and celebrations, try to celebrate it in a commercial way. Local government and big companies decorate parks and buildings with colorful illumination.

Last Saturday, I went to Tokyo Midtown, Shiodome, and Tokyo Tower to see the illuminations in these places. (Click here to check where you can see more illuminations).

Grass Square “Starlight Garden” in Tokyo Midtown

Illuminated balls in Sakura-dori in Tokyo Midtown

Capturing the sea of illumination in Caretta, Shiodome.

Also, Christmas in Japan is a perfect day to spend with your lover.

Caretta OCEAN Xmas 2009 in Shiodome

Tokyo Tower’s Light Down Story

0-0-0
Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

–Jesslee

Rikugien Garden, in Bunyo-ku, Tokyo, is one of the best-preserved Japanese landscape gardens of the Edo period. The name, Rikugi-en, came from “six elements of Waka poems” that had been derived from “six styles of poems” written in the old Chinese poetry book “Mao-shi”.

The garden is most beautiful in the autumn season because trees are being illuminated with colorful lights at night. Last Sunday, I, with the the FTPS group, visited the garden and it was awesome.

iMorpheus taking a photo of a couple in the garden using a keitai.

The garden has everything a traditional Japanese garden is supposed to: a large central pond, teeming with golden carps and sluggish turtles, fantastical islands, crooked rustic bridges over gurgling streams, man made hills, symbolizing the sacred Japanese mountains, and moss-encrusted stone lanterns. Along the path that goes round the pond, 88 landscapes from famous Japanese poems are reproduced in miniature. — Tokyo Japan Guide

A lot of people flock there to take pictures of the colorfully-illuminated momiji trees.

And, of course, take photos of themselves with the illumination as background.

Also, a few stop-by the traditional wooden teahouses, hidden among the majestic trees, to have some light snacks, sweets and tea.

:-)

A Hundred Smiles is a collaborative project of two photographers, Paulette Waltz and yours truly. On the 11th of July 2009, we were roaming around central Tokyo, bringing our frames, stopping by people, and asking them one question: “What makes you smile?”, then *snap*!

I was inspired to do this project after my good friend-photographer, Carlo Nicora, made his Thousand Portraits in Britain. It was really a challenge, not only as a photographer, but also an individual who wants to share the positivity to others.

One day, I met up with Paulette. I talked about the project I wanted to do, and a great brainstorming happened right there. The frame is Paulette’s wonderful idea. Two heads are better than one, indeed.

This project will continue to expand as this is going worldwide. We are going to invite other photographers all around the world to do the same, and gather all photos/smiles in one site, that is A Hundred Smiles.

The photos shown on this blog entry are my top 5 photos. I hope they bring a little smile on you. Please visit the site for more smiles.

If you want to be involved in this project, you can contact me or send an email to info[at]ahundredsmiles[dot]com.

Keep smiling.

:-)