Uploads from absurdum14, with geodata

Night flower

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 06:17:37 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

The flare from the sodium lamp on a snowy night creates a flower of light.

Remarkables sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:07:54 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

The sun rises over the Remarkables mountain range in queenstown, new Zealand.

Love new Zealand

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 01:42:36 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Writing in the sand at moeraki beach, otago new zealand.

Footprints at moeraki

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:12:10 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Someone's footprints along the Beach at the Moeraki Boulders, Moeraki, New zealand.

Friends

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:58:56 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Two of the Musicians on one of the festival carts at the Narita Gion Matsuri share a moment of friendship.

The Narita Gion Matsuri is one of Japan's "Top 10" Festivals and takes place each July in Narita-Town near the international airport in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, Japan.

Ueno afternoon 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:09:24 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Looking down the stairs from Ueno Park in Ueno, Tokyo, Japan. The temple in the distance is The temple next to the Shinobazu-no-Ike pond.

Matsumoto Castle 9

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:53:02 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Matsumoto Castle as seen from across one of the castle's moats. As you can see, the castle is built on an artificial island cut into the center of the (relatively shallow) moat. The sides of the island are supported and defended by cut-stone walls.

Matsumoto Castle is found in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto castle in one of the oldest castles in Japan, and one of only two "black" castles left in the country.

Matsumoto castle at night 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:45:29 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Matsumoto Castle (松本城) at night - looking across the moat. As you can see, the castle is built on an artificial island cut into the center of the (relatively shallow) moat. The sides of the island are supported and defended by cut-stone walls.

Matsumoto Castle is found in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto castle in one of the oldest castles in Japan, and one of only two "black" castles left in the country.

Matsumoto Castle 15

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:47:39 -0700

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Matsumoto Castle as seen from across one of the castle's moats. As you can see, the castle is built on an artificial island cut into the center of the (relatively shallow) moat. The sides of the island are supported and defended by cut-stone walls.

The red bridge is one of two ways over the moat which access the castle. It is built with an attractive kink in the middle of the bridge, which also served a defensive purpose, making it harder to transport siege machinery across the bridge.

Matsumoto Castle is found in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto castle in one of the oldest castles in Japan, and one of only two "black" castles left in the country.

Matsumoto Castle 3

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:46:37 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Matsumoto Castle as seen from across one of the castle's moats. As you can see, the castle is built on an artificial island cut into the center of the (relatively shallow) moat. The sides of the island are supported and defended by cut-stone walls.

Matsumoto Castle is found in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto castle in one of the oldest castles in Japan, and one of only two "black" castles left in the country.

Clock screen 2

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:49:38 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Another panel from the same clock in Matsumoto as the photo earlier in this stream. I'm not sure why this pattern was chosen, the other of the castle was fairly self-explanatory, but I can't quite figure out how this is symbolic of Matsumoto...

Matusmoto Castle and pigeons

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:10:52 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Pigeons flying across the face of Matsumoto Castle in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

It was a piece of good timing rather than intent, but they were flying a lot that day. A pair of Tonbi (Either Hawks or Falcons depending on the translation, I'm afraid I don't know enough to say which) were perched on the gables of the castle roof. Every few minutes they would give one of their piercing calls and send all the pigeons in the area into a frenzy.

Matsumoto castle is one of the oldest original castles in Japan, and one of the two "black" castles still standing.

Hakodate Port Santa

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:07:31 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

A sleeping Santa illumination. Part of the Christmas illuminations around the Hakodate Port in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan.

In front of the Santa is a little illuminated dolls' house, in which is displayed some of the Christmas goods for sale in a nearby shop. Also, A Christmas tree. The entire Port area was densely illuminated with various Christmas themed lights, objects and dioramas.

Hirosaki Castle Gate 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:03:24 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

The main gate to the grounds of Hirosaki castle, in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The gardens inside the castle grounds are lovely, even in the middle of winter. And there is an interesting Museum.

Unfortunately several parts of the garden, including the Donjon of the Castle itself, are shut for 5 months over winter - due to severe weather one assumes.

The castle is especially famous for it's cherry blossoms in the spring.

Hakodate Manhole cover

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:00:24 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

A manhole cover in the city of Hakodate, in Hokkaido, Japan.

The Manhole cover depicts the star fort for which the town was famous (It was the first fort of this type built in Japan during the later middle ages - The star shape protects the fort against cannons more effectively than traditional defenses) inside which is a picture of one of the Meiji era (Roughly equivalent to "Victorian") Red Brick Warehouses which Hakodate and a few other cities in Japan (Including Yokohama) are famous for. Surrounding the star are wave forms alluding to Hakodate's role as a major port city.

Matsumoto Castle 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:10:16 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

Matsumoto Castle in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Matsumoto castle is one of the oldest original castles in Japan, and one of the two "black" castles still standing.

Matsumoto small temari cover

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:09:38 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

A small version of the Temari Manhole cover in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It's made from white plastic, and about the size of the palm of your hand.

I only saw one of these, and I'm not sure exactly what it was for, as it was too small to be a manhole as such (You would have trouble fitting your arm down), and not close enough to wall to be for building drainage.

Matsumoto manhole cover - temari

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:09:05 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

The coloured version of the full sized Temari Manhole cover in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. This has to be one of the most beautifully coloured, and perfectly proportioned manhole covers I have seen in Japan. The coloured sections were nicely proportioned and the colours chosen set each other off well.

Temari are a kind of local handicraft made from rag and many, many layers of thread, interlayered in various patterns.

Aomori Station 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:06:10 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

A view of the suspension bridge in Aomori, Tohoku, Japan. The view looks across the front of the station building. It's a fairly impressive bridge, and looms over an otherwise low-rise, and somewhat down at the heels city center.

Yamanote 1

nobody@flickr.com (absurdum14) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:51:37 -0800

absurdum14 posted a photo:

During my trip to Japan this year I decided I wanted to walk around the Yamanote Line, the railway line that goes around the central city of Tokyo.

Unfortunately due to hangovers I never quite started early enough to do the whole line - but I did manage Shibuya to Ikebukuro in one shot...

This photo was taken near Ikebukuro somewhere (I got a little separated from the line, so I'm not sure EXACTLY where...).