is for fushigi, or the Japanese word for wonder. There are so many wondrous, marvelous places in Japan; too many to speak of them all in a post like this. Since coming to Japan, I have gone to so many interesting places and had so many wonderful experiences. I can only hope that when I go to Canada, the energy that Japan has imbued in me carries forward, so I never lose the sense of adventure I received here.
The following photos are from all across Japan. If you’re curious about any of them, feel free to ask about them in the comments below. I can’t recommend these places enough, though none of this sampling is from Kyoto, since I’ve been blogging about it all month.
Images hosted on Flickr.
Ariel Hudnall 
54 responses to “W is for 不思議”
What can I say other than WOW. Such beautiful photography.
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Thank you so much, Denise!
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You take such amazing pictures! 🙂 And your love for Japan comes through every post.
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
MopDog – 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
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Thank you! Taking photos is just a hobby… but it helps me remember the whole of the day. ❤
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What’s the performance of? (last photo)
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That would be Beauty and the Beast as produced by Takarazuka, an all-female Japanese Broadway.
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Will go for the lantern picture as my favourite. Going to miss Japan next week!
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Awww, I’ll be missing Glasgow too! The lanterns were taken as the Festival of Sound and Light in Fukui prefecture. It was really amazing.
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Alex, I have to tell you that your posts about Japan are exquisite and fascinating. My own participation to this challenge has unfortunately kept me away from reading eacc and every one of your posts. But I intend to return in a few days since we are now so close to the final line. In any case, your photos show me that Japan is as photogenic as my native France.
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France is definitely photogenic! I have a friend who lives there and all of her pictures make me swoon. 🙂 I’ll have to visit one day. Please don’t worry about not having been able to read every post! I am just hoping to make friends for beyond the challenge, that’s all. 🙂
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“Wonder” seems like the most appropriate word to describe Japan, especially after all the amazing photos you’ve shared with us, Alex. I’d love to know more about these three images, since they’re my favorite of the bunch:
1) Lanterns (2nd photo)
2) Ice sculpture (3rd photo – it reminds me of the spikes on a stegosaurus’s back…??)
3) Rocky coast (2nd to last photo – I wish I could go there right now! I love the ocean!)
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Sure thing, Sara!
1) This is from the Harmony of Light and Sound in Fukui Prefecture, with about 5,000 lanterns and 12,000 rounds of fireworks. It happens on August 16th every year. 🙂
2) You are right! It is a stegosaurus ice sculpture! This was from the Snow Festival in Hokkaido, 2011. It usually happens in early February. 🙂
3) That rocky coast is in Kinosaki, a two hour train ride from Kyoto, on the Japan Sea. It’s famous for hot springs, beaches, and a fun aquarium. Totally a place to visit in summer!
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I think it would take a lifetime to see all the marvels of Japan. You’re very lucky to have gotten to live there. =)
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee’s Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
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I do indeed count myself as lucky, and know I will visit often in the future. The problem with living here is you do get “stranded” in one location!
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I’m for sure travelling here someday. How could I not after seeing all these pictures? Great post 🙂
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Thank you, Chelsea! I would definitely recommend it. There really is something for everyone.
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What’s the first picture about? All the images are lovely and make me want to go back!
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That picture actually is from Kyoto! (Whoops!) It’s from the Festival of Ages, held on October 22nd in Kyoto. The same day there is a large fire festival in Kurama. The Festival of Ages is sort of hit-or-miss for entertainment. It’s a good photo opportunity, if you get a good seat, but it’s usually hot, the parade participants are uncomfortable, and there’s not much else to it but the promenade. But I was really happy with that shot, haha.
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Wow! How interesting!
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I have to say, wonder is the emotion I feel most when reading your posts and looking at your photos. In some ways, Japan feels so alien. And then you talk about it’s wonderful people and I’m reminded of the hospitality I’ve experienced around the world. You’re a fantastic emissary!
TD Harvey
A to Z participant
http://www.tdharveyauthor.com
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Thank you, Tee. I’m glad that I’m doing a good job… because I love this country!
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Love the shot of the shoes (not sure what they’re called), reminds me of the pair we had by the bathtub in our house when I was younger from my mom’s Japan days.
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They’re called geta and they’re pretty comfortable (though I can’t get womens’ in my size!) And that would be the place you saw them, since this was taken at a hot spring town called Kinosaki. 😉
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The lantern photo is my favorite! You have such a wonderful eye!
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Thank you so much, Michelle! That means a lot coming from you! I’ve been loving your photography as well. The lantern photo is from the Harmony of Light and Sound in Fukui prefecture. 🙂
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Lovely pictures. My most want to see is the lanterns floating on the water.
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It was a wonderful festival. It’s known as the Harmony of Light and Sound in Fukui prefecture. I definitely recommend going if you can!
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Amazing pictures. What’s with the lanterns on the water?
And the second to last one is really pretty.
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The lanterns are from a festival known as the Harmony of Light and Sound in Fukui prefecture. 🙂 And the second to last is on the coast of the Japan Sea, in Kinosaki. It was really, really beautiful. There was also a small shrine out on a rock in the middle of nowhere.
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I like the photo with the messy tangle of electrical lines above a very clean, straight street.
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That’s Sugamo in Tokyo. 🙂 I lived there for six weeks when I first came to Japan! I loved it there. Cheap fruits, neat festivals and night markets, however, when I moved, people told me that it was known as “Baa-chan Town” or “Granny Town” across Japan…. guess I know now why it was so fun and quirky. 😛
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There are a lot of things in the world that make me marvel. Lovely pictures.
J.L. Campbell | A-Z Co-Host
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Thank you, J.L.! I appreciate you stopping by! ^_^
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Hi Alex. You photographs never cease to amaze me.
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Thank you, Jeff. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying them. I take too many photos… but 1 in 40 are true keepers. 😉
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I can only wonder why I’ve not been back after my first visit when I look at your pics and read your posts.
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Sometimes it’s hard to go visit a place, even when we intend to. There are a lot of places really close to my home that I -should- go to more, but between money and energy, it doesn’t happen. Besides, you’ve gone to SO many places!! I think it’s wonderful. 🙂
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So wonderful, Alex. Makes me want to go back!
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I think…
Yeah. I just think.
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Lol, sounds like a koan. 😉
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You had me at ‘A’ 😉
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Hahaha, mission accomplished! Clearly I need to work on brevity. 😉 😛
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lol! On the contrary I have enjoyed every post, and your descriptions about the different parts of Japan, its history and culture 🙂
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Wonderful photos. I love the first one 🙂
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It’s one of my favorites too. 🙂
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Such beautiful photos – you really make me want to visit Japan.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
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Absolutely beautiful. Am I right in thinking that the top photo is of a Geisha?
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Not a geisha. 🙂 A court lady costume from a bygone era. It was taken at a parade.
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Ah, thanks for the explanation. 🙂
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LOve the floating lanterns. For Easter, my kids sea scout group made lanterns and floated them on our local waterway, North of Sydney in Australia. I wonder if these Japanese lanterns inspired our leader?
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Could be, or it might have been Rapunzel. 🙂
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I must be the strange one in this group, because I was attracted by the view from the pavillion, and I don’t think anyone else has asked about it! 🙂 It looks so peaceful.
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Oh, it was very peaceful. A little bit of paradise in the middle of the city. Sort of Tokyo’s version of Central Park.
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