On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. It was a magnitude 9.03 (Mw), the most powerful known earthquake ever to have hit Japan and the fifth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached…
WHISKEY ON THE ROCKS Photograph by The Town Sheriff on Flickr In this creative capture by The Town Sheriff on Flickr we see a fresh take on the term, whiskey on the rocks. The whiskey? Johnnie Walker Black. As the Sheriff explains: “This shot was an idea I had in my head…
FORCES OF NATURE Photograph by Martin Rietze @ Alien Landscapes on Planet Earth This incredible photograph by Martin Rietze was NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 11, 2013. In it we see the Sakurajima Volcano erupting with lightning (check out this vid for another example). According to NASA, it is…
Located in the city of Kitakyushu, Japan, Kawachi Fuji Garden is home to an incredible 150 Wisteria flowering plants spanning 20 different species. The garden’s main attraction is the Wisteria tunnel that allows visitors to walk down an enchanting tunnel exploding with colour. Located about 6 hours (according to Google Maps) from Tokyo, the…
Nara Dreamland, Japan | Photograph by Chris Luckhardt. Prints available at http://www.chrisluckhardt.com Wikipedia defines Urban Exploration (often shortened as urbex or UE) as: The exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins or not usually seen components of the man-made environment. Photography and historical interest/documentation are heavily featured in the hobby. In the latest…
Japanese Tea Room in Kyoto Photograph by Marser on Flickr In this serene capture we see the tea and meditation room at the beautiful and historic Ruriko-in Temple in Kyoto, Japan. Located about an hour outside of central Kyoto, the temple can be reached via train to Yase station. The temple is…
When Osaka’s baseball stadium closed its doors, it opened the door to a prime redevelopment opportunity in a new commercial district adjacent to Namba Train Station, the first stop from Kansai Airport. Given the location, owner Nankai Electric Railway asked Jon Jerde to create a gateway that would redefine Osaka’s identity. Jerde conceived Namba…
Located in Kuwana City (Mie Prefecture) is Nabano No Sato, a flower-focused park featuring sprawling gardens and giant greenhouses. Running annually from mid November to mid March is one of Japan’s finest Winter Illuminations, including the famous tunnel of light. The park also features an onsen (hot spring) and a variety of restaurants including…
The RX-78 Gundam is a fictional manned robot, introduced in 1979 in Yoshiyuki Tomino’s and Sunrise’s anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. In the series, it is a testbed weapon for the Earth Federation when it falls into the hands of Amuro Ray, the son of a weapons designer, who goes on to pilot it…
MOUNT FUJI FROM ABOVE Photograph via news.mydrivers.com In this jaw-dropping photograph we see the majestic Mount Fuji soaring above the clouds. The picture, along with two others (that are equally amazing), was posted to the Chinese website news.mydrivers.com. I was unable to find the name of the photographer but this aerial…