TOKYO in Photos

[The view from one of the biggest park in Tokyo :
Ueno Park and its giant pond]

[The Shinobazunoike Bentendo Temple in Ueno Park] 

[This is taken from under the roof of the temple in Ueno Park]

[Ema wall in Shinobazu temple]

[Ema wall in Nezu Shrine]

The Ema are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes. The Ema are left hanging up at the shrine, where the Kami (spirits or gods) are believed to receive them. 

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Les Ema sont de petites plaques en bois, commun au Japon, sur lesquelles les fidèles Bouddhistes et Shintoïstes écrivent des prières ou des souhaits. Les Ema sont accrochées au sanctuaire, où l'on imagine que les Kami (esprits ou dieux) les recoivent. 

 [Famous Japanese Cherry Blossoms]

[Takeshita Street, in Harajuku District.
A big shopping street/tourist trap]

[Small bridge in Inokashira park]

[Small temple in Inokashira park]

[Statues of deities in Inokashira park Temple]

[Nezu shrine]

[Torii gateway in Nezu shrine]

[Great Torii of the Nezu Shrine]

The Great Torii is the boundary between the spirit and the human worlds. They are always at the entrance of a temple. When you walk under a Torii, always walk on the right or left side, as the center is only for God.

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Les grand Torii sont la limite entre le monde des humains et celui des esprits. Il sont toujours à l'entrée des temples. Il est dit qu'il faudrait marcher du côté droit ou gauche, lorsqu'on passe sous un Torii, puisque le centre est réservé à dieu.

[Garden of the Imperial Palace]

[Koi in the pond of the Imperial garden]

In Japan, Koi symbolize good luck, abundance and perseverance.

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Au Japon, les carpes koï symbolisent la chance, l'abondance et la persévérence.

[A cute snake-god statue, at the entrance of a temple]

[A typical Japanese restaurant, in a quiet street]

[Hundreds of statues of care guardian deities of children
at the Zojo-ji Temple]

[The edge of a roof at the Imperial Palace Garden]

[Red lanterns at the Toyokawa Temple]

[Fox statue, guardian of the Toyokawa Temple]

[Fox statues at the Toyokawa Temple]

Toyokawa Temple is dedicated to Inari Okami, the god of foxes, fertility, rice, agriculture and prosperity.

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Le Temple Toyokawa est dédié à Inari Okami, la déesse des renards, de la fertilité, du riz, de l'agriculture et de la prospérité.

[Barrels of sake, at the Meiji-shrine]

[Entrance of the Meiji-shrine]

The Meiji shrine is a shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken.

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Le sanctuaire Meiji est un sanctuaire shintoïste dédié aux âmes divines de l'empereur Meiji et de sa femme l'impératrice Shoken.

[Window display of a crêpes shop
with fake plastic examples of crêpes sold in the shop]