蝴蝶、電車、桜　ー　Butterflies, Trains and Cherry Blossoms –

Posted on April 10, 2017

小川町埼玉　ー八高線 Watching Train of JR Hachiko-line make it through Ogawamachi, Saitama, Japan – It goes from Hachioji to Kuragano over a distance of 93 Kilometers. ©Hans Nagl

Here are some of photos of a cherry blossom viewing filled weekend. It included, sake tasting, and plenty of photo opportunities around Ogawamachi’s surrounding nature. The town is located in Saitama, little more than aone hour away from Tokyo’s Ikebukuro via Tobu Tojo Line.

Please feel free to send me your comments at the end of this blog. I am always happy about feedback.

Thank you very much,

Hans

小川町埼玉- 槻川 – 蝴蝶 – Small Butterfly, about the size of a finger nail is making its way through flowers along the Tsuki River in Ogawamachi, Saitama ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 槻川 – 蝴蝶 – These two small fingernail size butterflies are dancing in the sunlight between flowers along the Tsuki River in Ogawamachi, Saitama ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 槻川 – 蝴蝶 – Small butterfly enjoying a nice, warm spring day along the Tsuki River in Ogawamachi, Saitama ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 槻川 – きじ　ー　 Pheasant spotted along the Tsuki River running through Ogawamachi, Saitama ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 槻川 – Beautiful Tsuki River running through Ogawamachi, Saitama offers many scenes like this one. The water is very clear home to many species of water animals – ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 仙元山ハイキング – everything is blooming this spring along a hiking path towards Mount Sengen in Ogawamachi, Saitama　©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 槻川 – 桜　- Cherry Blossoms along the Tsuki River in Ogawamachi, Saitama ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉　ー八高線 Watching Train of JR Hachiko-line make it through Ogawamachi, Saitama, Japan – ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 仙元山ハイキング – Mountain view seen from Mount Sengen in Ogawamachi, Saitama towards Chichibu. The weather could not decide if it should be sunny or rainy. ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 仙元山ハイキング　- Observation Tower on Mount Sengen offers beautiful views ofOgawamachi, Saitama. This time it was better to make its way back the mountain because weather was unpredictable. ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 仙元山ハイキング　- Wonderful patchwork of pinks, greens and whites with Ogawamachi, Saitama in the background. ©Hans Nagl

小川町埼玉 – 酒 – Sake tasting event in Ogawamachi Saitama. This sake is based on locally grown, organic ingredients. Sake master is watching his customers’ reactions to this year’s sake. The one I tasted was crisp, clear and perfect. ©Hans Nagl

Category: Art, まつり, Birds, Festival, flowers, Food, Forest, Garden, Hiking, Insects, Japan, Japanese Art, Landscape, Nature, Nikon, Ogawamachi, Photography, Saitama, Trains, Uncategorized, 埼玉県警, 小川町, 日本 Tagged: #activity, #きじ, #アート, #ハイキング, #bamboo, #Beautiful, #beer, #Bird, #Blossom, #butterfly, #Camera, #Cherry, #children, #colorful, #daytrip, #explore, #自然, #花, #電車, #蝴蝶, #flower, #Food, #green, #hajiko, #Hans, #HansNagl, #health, #history, #Interesting, #Japan, #Landscape, #landscapes, #macrobiotic, #mountain, #Nagl, #Nature, #naturephotography, #New, #Nikon, #organic, #outing, #path, #Peace, #pheasant, #Photography, #Photos, #recover, #relaxation, #river, #sake, #shrine, #Silent, #Spring, #Sun, #temple, #tobutojo, #Train, #watching, #wine, #山, #春, #温泉 #onsen #biking, #仙元山, Forest, Hiking, ＃埼玉, ＃桜, Ogawamachi, photo, Saitama, 小川町, 日本

Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival in Brookline, Massachusetts

Posted on May 19, 2014

Not too long ago I had the chance to visit a Japanese style cherry blossom festival in Brookline, near Boston. It was held at the local high school. What really stood out was that the audience, as well as the performers were all participating. It was a dancing, drumming, very happy matsuri community. I also would like to point out that Tewassa, an organization raising money towards helping Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims was also represented. Please visit Tewassa’s web site here and an earlier post about their activities here. Every Saturday this very engaged group meets in Cambridge for about 2 hours to show their dedication to this noble cause by producing a quilt.

Please enjoy a few photos from this event.

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Dancing, Drumming, Happy Matsuri Community, HansNagl.com

Brookline Skaura Matsuri 2014 – Dancing, Drumming, Happy Matsuri Community, HansNagl.com

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Dancing, Drumming, Happy Matsuri Community, HansNagl.com

Quilt produced on an ongoing basis by Tewassa

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Quilt produced by Tewassa volunteers meeting every Saturday in Cambridge for two hours – HansNagl.com

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014- Cheerful Tewassa volunteers raising funds for Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims.

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Tewassa volunteers raising funds for Japanese Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami victims.

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Tewassa volunteers raising funds for Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims.

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014- A lot of interest in the flee market style sale at Tewassa’s stand. Volunteers raising funds for Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims.

The very cheerful Tewassa Team

Brookline Sakura Matsuri 2014 – Cheerful Tewassa volunteers raising funds for Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami victims.

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Category: Art, Japan, Japanese Art, Massachusetts, Tewassa, Tohoku, Uncategorized, United States Tagged: #Beautiful, #Blossom, #Boston, #Brookline, #Cherry, #Dance, #Drum, #Earthquake, #Festival, #Hans, #HansNagl, #Interesting, #Japan, #Japanese, #Kimono, #Massachusetts, #Matsuri, #Nikon, #Photography, #Photos, #sakuramatsuri, #Taiko, #Tewassa, #Tsunami

Philadelphia’s Sakura Sunday – Hello Spring !!!

Posted on April 20, 2014

Philadelphia’s Cherry Blossom Festival, better known as Sakura Sunday, was recently held at Fairmount Park on April 13, 2014. It was organized by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP). Beautiful spring weather and an outstanding program featuring a variety of artists from Japan and the United States contributed to the success of this event.

Without too many words the following photos will hopefully communicate the spirit of Sakura Sunday. Below are four gallery sections featuring Doshinkan Aikido, Tamagawa University Taiko Drum and Dance, La Siana, and, finally a couple of random photos from around the venue.

Doshinkan Aikido (AANA)

Members of the Aikido Association of North America (AANA), founded by Yukio Utada Sensei, delivered a beautiful and breathtaking demonstration. All age groups were represented. Many of the students make a lifetime commitment to the practice and refinement of this art involving a very dynamic life philosophy. Sometimes they live far away from the training hall or dojo, and, for the most part, training then takes on a different dimension keeping the positive spirit and energy alive. For me, who lives far from the main dojo located in Philadelphia it is always great to know that Utada Sensei and these dedicated students keep the dojo lights on for anybody far away or close by. For more information please visit the website of the AANA.

(Please click on an image to view in carousel format)

The short life of a cherry blossom, 1/200 of a second shutter speed, instant and flawless execution, beautiful and sophisticated. Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Preparation time – Everybody is involved either on or off the matt – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Women selfdefense – an applied aspect – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Jo (Staff) is an integral part of Doshinkan Aikido practice – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Tanto (Knife) exercise – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Rob McKeown Sensei (Children’sprogram) and Utada Kancho – Life dedicated to Aikido – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Ben Cliver Sensei (Temple University) – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Doshinkan Children’s Aikido Demonstration

Complete focus and dedication – Doshinkan Children’s Aikido Demonstration

Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Learning how to fall, on or off the matt – Doshinkan Aikido Demonstration

Next are some images of the Tamagawa University Taiko Drum and Dance Performance

A powerful and spirited way of communicating Japanese traditional arts of Taiko drums and dance. Watching the students of Tamagawa University perform was a very energizing experience. Harmonizing, happy, smiling performers drew the audience very close into their rhythm. Even now, after the festival, looking at the photos I can hear the Taiko drums and feel the spirit of their show.

(Please click on an image to view in carousel format)

Tamaga University Taiko Drum and Dance

Here are some photos of La Siana

These five ladies showed a very vibrant, high energy program without speed limit. Moving, dancing and singing while staying synchronized almost without effort was worth seeing. It was hard to get close to the stage because of the attention La Siana received from the Philadelphia audience.

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La Siana

Finally here are some random images from beautiful Sakura Sunday

I took these images without thinking too much about composition or other aspects of photography. They happened in a very spontaneous way. The entire event was a microcosm of small experiences happening not only on stage but also among the audience. It seemed as if the entire Sakura Sunday was a performance where everybody played a role. Via the camera I was able to freeze situations showing the beautiful spontaneity of moments involving wonderful people.

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Everybody was a performer – Sakura Sunday Impressions

Sakura Sunday Impressions

Thank you to the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, all the participants, whether on or off stage for making this Philadelphia Sakura Sunday such a beautiful memorable event.

City Hall in Philadelphia

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Category: Aikido, Japanese Art, Martial Art, Pennsylvania, Uncategorized, United States Tagged: #AANA, #Aikido, #Aikidodemonstration, #Art, #Beautiful, #Blossom, #Cherry, #Cosplay, #Dance, #Demonstration, #Doshinkan, #Fashion, #Hans, #HansNagl, #Happy, #Interesting, #Japan, #Japanese, #JASGP, #Kimono, #LaSiana, #Love, #Martial, #MartialArt, #Nagl, #New, #Nikon, #Peace, #Philadelphia, #Photography, #Photos, #SakuraSunday, #Smile, #Spring, #Subaru, #Sun, #Taiko, #Tamagawa, #Utada, #Warm

蝴蝶、電車、桜　ー　Butterflies, Trains and Cherry Blossoms –

Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival in Brookline, Massachusetts

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蝴蝶、電車、桜　ー　Butterflies, Trains and Cherry Blossoms –