Author in a green peasant dress with metallic green-gold tule skirt, they're also wearing a flower crown and have crystals decorating their chest.
Pumpkin with a carving of a smiling cat.
Pumpkins and a miniature schnauzer wearing a little white cape that has a ghost face on it.
遅ればせながらハッピーハロウィン🎃！
仕事でコスチュームを着させてもらった。カボチャも彫った。僕の犬に幽霊にコスした。楽しかった！
A belated Happy Halloween!
Work let me wear a costume! I carved a pumpkin and dressed my dog up as a ghost, it was fun :D
01.11.2025 17:33 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Two photo collage showing a green apple peeler and corer from the 1850s with an apple being peeled and cored.
Silver bowls with sliced apples in them waiting to have seasonings added to them before they're transferred to the pies.
Rows of filled pies waiting to have covers added to them. You can see a member preparing a cover for the pie in the background.
Finished pies waiting to be bagged and frozen.
毎年、僕の教会員は手作りのアプルパイを作った。楽しかった！そのメンバーの多くは僕が赤ちゃんの頃から知っていて、このコミュニティに神様に感謝している。
Every year, my church makes apple pies from scratch. It's a lot of fun. Many of these members have known me since I was a baby, and I'm grateful to the kami for the community.
23.10.2025 17:41 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Stone torii with shimenawa over it. You can see the pathway to the shrine as well as a cherry blossom tree behind it. Everything is slightly shiny due to rain.
Stone Pillar with the full name of the shrine.
Main shrine, you can see its inside a protective outer building but there's a rope with bells that one can ring.
嵐山の裏通りどこか、三ノ宮神社へ行った。小さい神社だ。
Somewhere in the backstreets of Arashiyama, I visited Sannomiya Shrine. It's small. Also I'm not 100% sure on the Arashiyama part, since I didn't take many notes regarding it.
20.10.2025 13:57 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Nine box diagram with the far left column having the requirement of "a torii must have two cross bars and two pillars," the middle column has the requirement of "a torii must have a vague arch shape," and the right column is "a torii can be any shape"
The top row has the requirement of "a torii must be made of wood and painted red," the middle row has the requirement of "a torii must be made from natural materials, can have color but not required," and the bottom row has the requirement of "a torii can be made from any material, can be covered in any sort of varnish/paint"
Nine column collage linked to the torii requirements. In order from left to right top to bottom: a ryobu style torii, a red wood covered bridged, a red wood door, an wooden electrical pole, a stone arch, a paper crane made from teal paper, a blue metal rack, the McDonald's arches, and maruchan ramen
@kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social I have made us a helpful guide to figuring out what is and isn't a torii! Based on that post regarding Hokusai's drawings
19.10.2025 15:41 — 👍 10 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 1
Oh I have this book :D can't wait to read it :)
19.10.2025 15:03 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A wooden Hokora stops a stone diocese. The Hokora has two stone vases holding Sakaki and a small water holder with three gold triangles in a pyramid pattern. The stone base is stained with a blue color. There's also a branch of a tree cutting through the image.
Lose up of the Hokora where you can see more offering dishes inside as well as the plaque with the name of the kami on it.
少し珍しいと思うけど、その祠は神道だ。一般的に仏教の。御祭神は金龍大神だ。面白い！
It's a bit rare but this roadside Hokora was a Shinto shrine. Typically they're Buddhist. This one was dedicated to Kinryū Ōkami. Interesting!
16.10.2025 15:01 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Four photo collage showing a side shrine painted bright vermillion with a tan fence, and pale pink cherry blossom growing near it. The second photo shows a shrine building with a dark pink cherry blossom. The third is the main shrine building behind some trees, and the fourth is another side shrine
Photo of the shrine dedicated to Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, there's a vermillion fence with names painted on it, and a stone torii before the shrine building.
Soramitsuamatsukami no Yashiro, which enshrines Tenman Tenjin. With a wooden Shinmei style torii covered in lichen.
Three photo collage showing shrine buildings peaking out over the parking lot, the iconic white and vermillion paint. Second photo shows a pale pink cherry blossom in a bed of stones, and the final one is the Goshuin.
Long time no see everyone! I visited Kurumazaki Jinja which has a boatload of side shrines. The name comes from the legend about the emperor's carriage breaking down there. The gosaijin is Yorinari Kiyohara, a Confucian scholar. It was rainy, but the cherry blossoms were still beautiful.
15.10.2025 15:25 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Three photo collage showing sake barrel offerings in a vermillion holding case with a deep pink cherry tree to the left, a bright pink cherry tree with red fencing and hedges, and the main entrance stones showing the shrine seal and name.
Photo of one of the entrances to the shrine. You can see many name plaques on the vermillion fencing, there's a stone pathway as well which is shiny due to the rain. In the distance you can see people holding umbrellas and cherry trees peaking out over the tops of buildings.
Side shrine decorated to Inari Ōkami I believe. It's a small shrine inside a larger Hokora holding place which is painted white and vermillion. You can see small lanterns and a tiny offering box.
Four photo collage showing more of the side shrines varying in size and style, the shared theme being lots of vermillion pain and stone.
みんな、お久しぶり！
たくさんの色々な摂末社がある車折神社へ行った。天皇の馬車は神社境に壊れたことから、名前は車折になった。御祭神は儒教的な学者の頼成清原だ。天宇受売命を祀る芸能神社や天満天神を祀る天満天神社（読み方はそらみつあまつかみのやしろ）もある。雨の日なのに、桜はまだ美しかった。
15.10.2025 15:17 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
YouTube video by MagicallyMusical
Underwater Shrine Drawing
水中の神社を描いてタイムラプスのビデオもある！
Here's a Timelapse video of me drawing the shrine as well!
youtu.be/eHbQqhpzaFE?...
09.10.2025 19:57 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Image of an underwater Shinto shrine with seaweed thatching, a great clam and pearl on the roof. The cross beams are instead large katsuo fish and there's koi tales sticking out the front and back. There's also red coral decorating the sides of the shrine.
SustackでToukyoの記事( open.substack.com/pub/toukyo/p...
)を読んで、水中の神社を描いてインスポになった。神社の部分はたくさんの海のことの名前があるので。
I got inspired to draw this underwater shrine after reading an article by Toukyo on Substack. There's a lot of ocean imagery in shrine architecture.
09.10.2025 19:55 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Otsukimi display with a bouquet of flowers on the left including a sunflower and several red and orange flowers as well as two long green plants that resemble wheat stalks or rice ears. You can also see on a white plate in the center is a dumpling display with the top row dyed yellow. On the far right is a red painted ema with an image of a golden moon and white rabbit holding a tray of dumplings in front of pampas grass. On either side of the display are white candles on a fall foliage table runner.
少し遅れてお月見！
でも、その花束は近くの花屋で僕がデザインと買った。月見団子も手作りだった。一般に全部白いけど、JustOneCookbookのサイトのレシピでカボチャを使って一番上の段を見て触発されていた。あまりカボチャ好きじゃないから食用色素を使ったんだ、それでも楽しかった！絵馬は日本の時に塗った。
Happy late Otsukimi!
I made the dumplings today, and bought the bouquet in town. It was a lot of fun! Enjoy :)
07.10.2025 20:23 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Two white rabbits beside water, tall grass and flowers in the foreground and a full moon in the sky above.
'Two Rabbits in the Moonlight' - Imao Keinen, ca. 1930s.
#FullMoon #shinhanga #JapaneseArt
07.10.2025 09:43 — 👍 130 🔁 33 💬 2 📌 0
View of a deep red sunset from the window of an airplane, you can also see city lights at night. The sunset is a very narrow line at the horizon line.
Ikebana arrangement at the Shambala center, it's using bright yellow flowers.
Shambala main altar, with two ajikan posters that my teacher brought. You can see more flower arrangements, 7 glasses filled with water, candles, and on the bottom a place to burn incense. Behind it is a representation of a Buddha in a Tibetan style of artwork.
Small honorary altar for Takahashi sensei, sort of our sangha's grandfather. There's also a bust of the white robed Kanon and a candle.
僕は神道とともに真言宗も実践している。先週でリトリートへ行った。近くのチベッタンシャンバラーセンターを借りて、３日かに真言宗を練習した。僕の先生は観音経の奥伝の次元に説明した。新しい観音のテキストも受けた。楽しかった。
I also practice Shingon alongside Shinto, and went on a retreat last week. I got some new materials related to Kanon, and new teachings. It was fun.
07.10.2025 12:54 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Echizen-Wakasa Kidan: Strange Tales from Fukui
illustrated stories of yokai, ghosts, and weird tales from rural Japan
Super excited to back another of @yokai.com 's amazing books! I can't wait to see the final product and be able to learn some unique Yokai stories along the way! Also super excited for the beautiful traditional crafts by Fukui artisans!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/osa...
30.09.2025 22:11 — 👍 5 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
櫛田神社に奉納されていた山笠
通りすがりに見かけた山笠
櫛田神社
今日までやっていた博多祇園祭り🏮
櫛田神社に奉納されていた山笠が立派だったな〜✨
通りすがりの山笠も見事でした
こんなでっかいの担いで走るのすごいなあ…
15.07.2025 13:17 — 👍 22 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
A torii gate is a traditional Japanese gateway, most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, and it signifies the transition from the mundane to the sacred. It acts as a symbolic boundary between the everyday world and the realm of the deities (kami). Passing through a torii is a ritual act, marking the entry into a space of worship and reflection.
#BlueSkyMonday
I built this structure, modeled after the Shinto Torii Gates in Japan, near the entrance to my garden. Torii gates represent passing from the mundane to the spiritual, and it’s how I view my garden retreat. The Kanji symbols are “happiness” and “garden”. (see ALT text)
#EastCoastKin
28.07.2025 18:00 — 👍 38 🔁 4 💬 2 📌 0
Mt Fuji and pale blue sky, water in foreground with small boats.
Today's in Japan it's Mountain Day (山の日, Yama no Hi) so I thought I'd put together a small collection of my favourite prints featuring Mount Fuji, Japan's most iconic sacred mountain.
🎨'Yoshiwara' from the series 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' - Utagawa Hiroshige, 1855.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe
1/3
11.08.2025 12:22 — 👍 2132 🔁 293 💬 38 📌 9
A bunch of sunflowers growing besides a faded white building.
Dimly lit singular sunflower facing the sun behind a hill.
ひまわりが大好きだ
Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers
30.09.2025 20:38 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
White cherry blossom near the cable car line. You can see the mountain side behind them and even further a glimpse of the city
Close up of the mountain cherry with twisting branches
Another shot of the cherry tree
Lose up of the flowers
比叡山の山桜
Mountain Cherry Blossoms on Mt. Hiei
29.09.2025 14:34 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
ケーブルカーを乗っているビデオ
Video from the ride back down on the cable car!
29.09.2025 14:20 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Roadway with old stone lanterns flanking it. You can also see many tall trees along the path.
Row of small pagoda stones lining an area to look out over the city.
Three photo collage showing the old cable car piloting system and cable wheel, as well as photos of various yamabushi.
View of Kyoto from the cable car, it looks almost like a lake.
比叡山も一つにハイクした。もっと美しい景色も見た。延暦寺の後で駅に戻って、壁に山伏の写真が見た。古いのケーブルカーの機械もあった。
I hiked back along Mt. Hiei and saw more beautiful scenery. After returning to the station I saw pictures of Yamabushi on the walls and some cool old machinery!
29.09.2025 14:09 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Red colored wooden halls at Shakadō, there's also a stone lantern in the front of one of them.
Statue of Buddha with a hand raised, in front are two giant stone lanterns.
Shakadō with its faded red paint. In front is a large open sandy courtyard. There are also several stone lanterns and a few massively tall trees as well.
Goshuin from Shakadō
The last two places I visited at Enryakuji were Shakadō and Minobuchi Benzaiten. Shakadō enshrines Shaka Nyōrai (the historical Buddha), and Minobuchi Benzaiten is a Shinto shrine to Benzaiten-sama. It was quiet and not many people were around. I also got two Goshuin!
28.09.2025 16:08 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Wooden pavilion covering a Jizo statue with red cap and bib. The wood has numerous name tags pasted to it and in front of the statue are two bouquets of flowers.
Stone lantern with a lotus design for the bottom and a Buddha on the side of it.
Minobuchi Benzaiten Dhrine you can see a path has been worth through the moss and that past the lichen covered torii are a row of red standing lanterns leading to the shrine. In the back you can even see a dark pink cherry blossom tree.
Goshuin from Minobuchi Benzaiten
最後の二つ場所は延暦寺に行った釈迦堂と箕淵弁財天だ。釈迦堂は釈迦如来を祀って、箕淵弁財天は弁財天を祀る神社だ。静かで人は少なかった。御朱印も受けた。
28.09.2025 16:05 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Several statues of monks and Buddhas with signs as well as places to leave offerings.
A temple with a golden roof topper with several layers like a pagoda.
Stone torii and sign with red lettering leading to the Inari shrine.
Inari shrine building which is bright red. You can see stone flower basins and a sign talking about the shrine. In the background are stairs leading further up the mountain.
延暦寺の地内で星峯稲荷社という神社もある。
There's also an Inari shrine called Hoshimine Inari-sha on the main grounds of Konpochūdō.
27.09.2025 16:28 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Incense and offerings before entering the main hall. Obviously photos weren't allowed inside so this is the only photo I have from right before the interior.
A large wall with numerous calligraphy examples likely done by kids and offered to the temple.
The roof of the main temple, you can see the fresh woodwork as well as the exterior building built around it to keep it safe from the elements as they restored it.
Goshuin from Konponchūdō
When I went to Enryakuji's main temple Konponchūdō, it was undergoing restoration. They built a massive structure around the temple, and you could go up to the roof and see what it looked like up close! It was fun.
27.09.2025 14:28 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Daikokuten Hall, a brown and white building near the main hall. You can see many golden lanterns hanging from the eves, an incense burner in the front and stone lantern on either side. There's also a yellow banner on the left talking about a pilgrimage.
Senbonzuru thousand paper cranes, common offerings at temples and shrines to make a wish.
A large stone monument with Japanese text on it
Images of monks praying with a ghostly image of Buddha behind them.
僕は延暦寺の根本中堂を行った時、修築していた。お寺の周囲に大きい建物を建て、外部の修理を行うためだった。屋上に行くことができる。楽しかった。
27.09.2025 14:25 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Oracle card with Wakemitama written on the bottom in Japanese. The image itself shows a feminine figure with red hair that branches out into antler like substances, there's also stylistic wings. Her arms are holding four purple left facing tomoe. The background has a yellow sun, teal sky on green background with light green triangles spread across the bottom.
最後のオラクルカードは分け御魂
The final Oracle card of this deck is Wakemitama
Themes:
•Everything is Alright
•Body and Mind as One •Awakening To Know Oneself
25.09.2025 13:44 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
