A New Year and a New Post!

Albeit a short post. Busy as usual, but here's a few updates from New Years!

I stayed local again this year, and went to Syosha Temple to see the lantern displays. It was very crowded! The line was a good city-block long to get in. And I was off to a great start, seeing how I got to the front of the line, and realized I'd forgotten my wallet. Ran back home, did the line again, and wound up getting a "bad luck" fortune.

Like last year, everyone walked through this bamboo circle before entering the temple gates.

The lanterns with red writing say "Phoenix" in katakana, though it probably is in reference to the nearby pachinko parlor, and not to the city.

This wasn't actually Syosha temple, but the one right next to the castle (whose name I don't know, sorry!). There were hardly any people here, just a few other late-night photographers. It was very serene!

On the 2nd, I went to get rid of my bad fortune by tying it to a tree within the temple (and had to stand in the long line again), but wound up getting covered in snow on my bike ride back. On the plus side, I got to see the castle--or not see it, since the visibility was bad--in a snow storm; but on the negative side, I was absolutely soaked to the bone by the time I made it back to my apartment... And, my luck being what it is this new year, the skies turned promptly blue as soon as I made it inside.

The castle looks good, rain, snow, or shine!

This was actually from my phone, but it was quite difficult to see the castle!

I ran into the cats as I was biking back. They weren't too pleased about the snow, either.

Three cats grumpily taking shelter under a bench...

Not so many photos this time, but I am heading to Nara in two weeks for their big mountain-burning festival, so I'll have lots to write about then!

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Shinzaike Honcho Festival, Friendship Festival, and the Countryside!

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Daley-sensei's Adventures in Himeji, Japan.

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