Zōkyō

Check out our new project, “Photohoku.org“, an effort to help rebuild and restart family photo albums for those in Japan affected by the events of March 11th. We had a super successful pilot run last month and will be visiting again in the coming weeks and as frequently as our supporters will allow. (Support/Suggestions welcome!)

One part of this project that we hadn’t forseen before we embarked on Tohoku was that once we helped these people start new albums, they might not have cameras to take the photos to continue with them. So we’re thinking about asking people who want to help but can’t be here, to dig out their old digital camera out of the closet (with charger) and forward it along and let us help find a new home for it. If you or anybody you know can participate this way, please contact Brian@zokyo.jp (Eng) or Yuko@TokyoKidsPhoto.com (JP).

Things are just getting started so stay posted and share with your friends. Thanks!!!

© Brian Scott Peterson - www.brianscottpeterson.com

I’m auctioning this print to help the people of Japan following the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The photo is located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zebrio/5312348105/

I would like you to start the bidding at $100

Size and type of print: Whatever you want!

Please leave a comment with your offer here or on the flickr photos.

The highest bidder at the time the auction ends will donate (or I will donate in their name after paypal transaction has been completed) that amount direct to a trusted charity helping with the relief effort in Japan, such as:

British Red Cross:

Donate

Japanese Red Cross:

Donate

Save the Children:

Donate

World Vision:

Donate

Oxfam:

Donate

YOU CHOOSE!

WANT TO BID – BUT YOU DON’T HAVE A FLICKR ACCOUNT?
Please just email me with a bid and I will place the bid in the comments on your behalf: brian@brianscottpeterson.com

The bidding will end on 31st of March, 2011 at midnight + JST. At this time, the person who wrote/commented or emailed the highest amount will have to give this amount to a legitimate charity involved in the effort for aid for the people of Japan. On proof of donation (please take a screen grab of your donation confirmation page!), I will arrange for the print to made and shipped to you. Or you can arrange a paypal payment to me and I will make sure it goes to a charity of your or my choice in your name.

I will pay for the print to be produced and pay for shipping, so all of your donation goes straight to the cause

For more information on this:
CPA – CHARITY PRINT AUCTIONS – JAPAN
www.flickr.com/groups/charityprintauctions/

Since the days of the Meiwa Era, Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple in downtown Tokyo has hosted “Hozuki Ichi” (Ground Cherry Lantern Festival), in the blistering heat of mid-July. According to legend, a young samurai’s apprentice dreamed that the Japanese horse-riding, goblin-slaying, deity of fire, Atago Gongen, revealed to him the medicinal powers of a Houzuki pod (ground cherry plant pod resembling a Chinese paper lantern). The next morning, while cleaning the garden of Shiba-Seishoji Temple he found such a ground cherry plant pod and recalled the dream from the night before. He proclaimed that if one were to eat an unripe ground cherry at Atago Shrine on June 24, the festival day for the Buddhist deity Jizo, they could be cured of any ailments and their children would be cured of distemper. Taking the young Samurai apprentice’s advice, many people promptly tried this on June 24, discovering that it was mysteriously effective, alleviating the fever and discomfort experienced by pregnant women, and thus began calling it a wonder medicine. This was the beginning of the Hozuki-ichi Festival that has continued for over 200 years.

Accordingly, the Atago festival has become quite popular and over the decades, many temples have also adopted their own Hozuki Ichi festivals. The festival in Asakusa at Sensoji has since become larger and more popular than the one in Atago. On July 9th and 10th, the latter of which is also Yonman-rokusennichi (Day of 46,000 Blessings), over 450 vendors arrive to sell Houzuki lantern plants while another 350 come to peddle typical festival fare. Visitors nowadays come in their summer yukata, to buy a Houzuki plant, also said to ward off evil spirits and goblins from their home. Glass furin wind chimes ring across the festival grounds, aiding the laid back attitude, which despite the humidity, makes it one of Tokyo’s more pleasant and peculiar summertime celebrations.

And one big one.

And Bamboo