The Haunted Pagoda
The Five-Story Pagoda at Senso-ji temple is a central feature of one of Tokyo's most significant Buddhist temples. Located in the Asakusa district, it's also the oldest temple in Tokyo and serves as a major cultural and religious site while attracting thousands of tourists a day. And I mean thousands. The pagoda is part of a larger complex that makes up the Tokyo Temple site, and you'll need all the help you can get navigating through the condensed alleys and walkways filled to the brim with people. It's still absolutely worth the visit to check out all the street vendors selling food, clothes, and other trinkets. The back alleys that diverge away from the temple site are much calmer and also have some incredible restaurants to try.
I had an amusing experience having to translate between Japanese and Spanish at one of the vendors. Two very excited older ladies from Mexico were touching the merchandise and the poor Japanese man behind the counter was trying to express to the women that it was not allowed. And of course, the woman speaking only Spanish didn't understand why the man was so agitated. I used Google Translate and a little common sense to understand the man's intentions and relayed them in Spanish to the now mortified women who were visibly embarrassed at committing a cultural snafu. All in good fun.
The five levels of the pagoda represent the five elements in Buddhist cosmology: earth, water, fire, wind, and void. The design showcases traditional Japanese architecture with upturned eaves, detailed woodwork, and a graceful tapering form. Ceramic tiles adorn the roof on a red facade, a color that symbolizes protection and good fortune in Japanese culture. And of course, it is beautifully lit at night with soft warm lights that contrast with any twilight sky.
Don't let the emptiness of the frame fool you. This shot required a lot of patience because as I mentioned earlier the grounds here are slammed with people. You'll have a much more pleasant time visiting the temple first thing in the morning, before sunrise but unfortunately, I had other things to shoot, so I picked the hard path for this shot. I had my tripod set and took a bunch of frames when portions of the scene were empty and put it all together in Photoshop to create a more serene and quiet atmosphere. And that took a while. People would park in spots for minutes at a time and walk in and out of my frame every other second blocking most of the view. I ain't mad about it. It's the price you have to accept when going to places that are popular and publicly accessible to everyone. You just have to find a way to enjoy the experience regardless.
This is the perfect print for anyone who loves a moody scene and traditional Japanese design.
The Five-Story Pagoda at Senso-ji temple is a central feature of one of Tokyo's most significant Buddhist temples. Located in the Asakusa district, it's also the oldest temple in Tokyo and serves as a major cultural and religious site while attracting thousands of tourists a day. And I mean thousands. The pagoda is part of a larger complex that makes up the Tokyo Temple site, and you'll need all the help you can get navigating through the condensed alleys and walkways filled to the brim with people. It's still absolutely worth the visit to check out all the street vendors selling food, clothes, and other trinkets. The back alleys that diverge away from the temple site are much calmer and also have some incredible restaurants to try.
I had an amusing experience having to translate between Japanese and Spanish at one of the vendors. Two very excited older ladies from Mexico were touching the merchandise and the poor Japanese man behind the counter was trying to express to the women that it was not allowed. And of course, the woman speaking only Spanish didn't understand why the man was so agitated. I used Google Translate and a little common sense to understand the man's intentions and relayed them in Spanish to the now mortified women who were visibly embarrassed at committing a cultural snafu. All in good fun.
The five levels of the pagoda represent the five elements in Buddhist cosmology: earth, water, fire, wind, and void. The design showcases traditional Japanese architecture with upturned eaves, detailed woodwork, and a graceful tapering form. Ceramic tiles adorn the roof on a red facade, a color that symbolizes protection and good fortune in Japanese culture. And of course, it is beautifully lit at night with soft warm lights that contrast with any twilight sky.
Don't let the emptiness of the frame fool you. This shot required a lot of patience because as I mentioned earlier the grounds here are slammed with people. You'll have a much more pleasant time visiting the temple first thing in the morning, before sunrise but unfortunately, I had other things to shoot, so I picked the hard path for this shot. I had my tripod set and took a bunch of frames when portions of the scene were empty and put it all together in Photoshop to create a more serene and quiet atmosphere. And that took a while. People would park in spots for minutes at a time and walk in and out of my frame every other second blocking most of the view. I ain't mad about it. It's the price you have to accept when going to places that are popular and publicly accessible to everyone. You just have to find a way to enjoy the experience regardless.
This is the perfect print for anyone who loves a moody scene and traditional Japanese design.
The Five-Story Pagoda at Senso-ji temple is a central feature of one of Tokyo's most significant Buddhist temples. Located in the Asakusa district, it's also the oldest temple in Tokyo and serves as a major cultural and religious site while attracting thousands of tourists a day. And I mean thousands. The pagoda is part of a larger complex that makes up the Tokyo Temple site, and you'll need all the help you can get navigating through the condensed alleys and walkways filled to the brim with people. It's still absolutely worth the visit to check out all the street vendors selling food, clothes, and other trinkets. The back alleys that diverge away from the temple site are much calmer and also have some incredible restaurants to try.
I had an amusing experience having to translate between Japanese and Spanish at one of the vendors. Two very excited older ladies from Mexico were touching the merchandise and the poor Japanese man behind the counter was trying to express to the women that it was not allowed. And of course, the woman speaking only Spanish didn't understand why the man was so agitated. I used Google Translate and a little common sense to understand the man's intentions and relayed them in Spanish to the now mortified women who were visibly embarrassed at committing a cultural snafu. All in good fun.
The five levels of the pagoda represent the five elements in Buddhist cosmology: earth, water, fire, wind, and void. The design showcases traditional Japanese architecture with upturned eaves, detailed woodwork, and a graceful tapering form. Ceramic tiles adorn the roof on a red facade, a color that symbolizes protection and good fortune in Japanese culture. And of course, it is beautifully lit at night with soft warm lights that contrast with any twilight sky.
Don't let the emptiness of the frame fool you. This shot required a lot of patience because as I mentioned earlier the grounds here are slammed with people. You'll have a much more pleasant time visiting the temple first thing in the morning, before sunrise but unfortunately, I had other things to shoot, so I picked the hard path for this shot. I had my tripod set and took a bunch of frames when portions of the scene were empty and put it all together in Photoshop to create a more serene and quiet atmosphere. And that took a while. People would park in spots for minutes at a time and walk in and out of my frame every other second blocking most of the view. I ain't mad about it. It's the price you have to accept when going to places that are popular and publicly accessible to everyone. You just have to find a way to enjoy the experience regardless.
This is the perfect print for anyone who loves a moody scene and traditional Japanese design.