I've accumulated so many photos of girls in kimono, women in yukata, Geisha, and Oiran. It's what speaks to me when I think of Japan. One of the top things, at least. I love the vast variety in colors and patterns of kimono. I like to rifle through racks of kimono at Hard Offs, Flea Markets and Shrine Sales. I don't have many sewing skills, but I do appreciate fabric patterns. It's just a different kind of palette and canvas, if you think about it. Paintings by the loom. This

Four days, a wide angle, a zoom lens and loads of adventures finds me with 5GB of photos and loads of laundry to get through! Excited about the first, not so much about the second. Nikko is worthy of its UNESCO World Heritage status: it is a beautifully lush area of Japan. Surrounded by green, impossibly high and pointy mountains. Rice paddies: water reflecting the mountains, with green shoots just sprouting up. Large, many roofed Japanese houses with space, lots of space bet

April 9th at Yoshiwara, a few minutes walk from Senso-ji Temple; found me enjoying the Oiran Dochu Procession. We arrived just as it started, and managed to snag a very good viewing spot right at the side of the stage. Nobody in front of my camera. My Google maps was directing me another 5 minutes north, when my husband saw a crowd gathered up ahead. So glad we decided to check it out, as it was where the Oiran Dochu parade would end. Awesome discovery saving us some precious