It’s probably because I miss Japan. And also because I’m very much behind in blogging. I was looking through some pictures taken last year on a visit to Japan with my mother and my sister. With so many trips to Japan since 2007, this was the first time I took so many pictures in black and white. I’ve said before that for some weird reason I’ve always viewed Japan edged with a sense of melancholy. Despite having seen her soaked in vivid colour – in the reds of autumn, the pinks of spring, greens of summer and winter’s pristine whites, photographing her in black and white presents a slightly different tone. I’m no pro photographer but I hope you enjoy these snapshots and maybe see Japan a little differently. 

ema tablets, Asakusa, Tokyo

Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

 Itsukushima shrine, Miyajima

pretty as a picture, Itsukushima shrine, Miyajima

purpose, Itsukushima shrine, Miyajima

for children everywhere, Peace Park, Hiroshima 

cleanliness is next to godliness, Senjokaku Hall, Miyajima

waiting at Himeji 

blink and you’ll miss this entrance to a shrine in a shopping arcade, Kyoto

downtown shrine, Kyoto

seeking advice, Kitano Tenmangu shrine, Kyoto

for the lost and found, Kyoto

maple white, Ryoanji, Kyoto