Saturday, January 29, 2011

Shadow Shot Sunday, #141 & Sundays in My City - Japantown, San Francisco, CA - January 30, 2011

This past week, after leaving the office of my urologist, I drove down Post Street,
the main street of Japantown in San Francisco.  The area, six square city blocks, is
the oldest and largest such Japanese community in the U. S.  It was developed after
the 1906 earthquake.  It is an area of Japanese shops, restaurants, a grocery, and even
communal Japanese baths with alternate days for women and men.  In the spring, the
annual cherry blossom festival is held and there is also an annual taiko drum festival.

Japanese architect, Yoshiro Taniguchi, designed the Peace Pagoda, a concrete stupa
which was presented to San Francisco by its oldest sister city, Osaka, Japan.  It stands
in the center of Japantown.


Banner hanging in Japantown


Peace Pagoda, Japantown, San Francisco, CA













I am participating in Shadow Shot Sunday #141
and

Check out the sites and join in the fun!





21 comments:

  1. This is such a fantastic idea...showing different shadows of different trees.

    Mermaid Shadows

    Hope you're having a super Sunday!!

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  2. I'd like to visit Japan one day...
    It's great you have Japan so close! :)
    Have a great week ahead...

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  3. The Peace Pagoda looks very futuristic, you'd half expect it to blast off or something.

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  4. Beautiful shadows!!!

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  5. Beautiful photos and wonderful shadow, Carmen!

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  6. Anonymous5:13 AM

    I love that pagoda, it is fantastic. Japantown sounds like a great place to visit.

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  7. Is that a pepper tree casting its stark shadow against the wall?

    IF YOU SEE A SHADOW

    If you see a shadow
    And want to keep it near,
    Point your trusty shooter
    (Make sure the lens is clear);
    Press with care the shutter,
    Do not slam or sock it—
    Then you’ll have a photo
    To carry in your pocket!


    © 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher


    A Splendid, Shadowy Door

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  8. Love the shadows. They almost look like painted murals. Lovely.

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  9. great shadow shots! Have a great Sunday!

    http://kathewsnapaday.blogspot.com/2011/01/photo-30.html

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  10. Terrific shadow shots for the day and I do love that sunshine!! Hope your weekend is going well! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  11. Hmmm, learn something new every day. I did not know the history behind the pagoda.

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  12. This is such a picturesque area of SF, Carmen! Lovely shadows.

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  13. I love tree shadows, terrific shots!

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  14. Anonymous11:14 AM

    Beautiful photos...and shadows!

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  15. Hi Carmen, The Peace Pagoda is lovely-- I don't think I ever say it when I lived in SF. Thanks for sharing and have a great week, xo jj

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  16. The banner is great, it would make a terrific poster for my room. I'd love to learn Japanese, or at least take part in a cherry blossom festival.

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  17. The tower is awewome!

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  18. Lovely photos and thanks so much for joining in Shadow Shot Sunday. I'm sorry I only just saw your comment now about not being able to find the Mr Linky. As you had left that comment on the old original SSS post rather than the most current one, that could be why you didn't see the Mr Linky to leave your link. That old post is linked to each weekly post just to direct people to info about SSS but the Mr Linky widget appears with each new SSS posted on Sundays. Hope that helps :)

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  19. HOOTIN' ANNI -
    It's amazing how clearly the shadows of trees come out, clearly showing every leaf.


    BLOGitse -
    You can fly nonstop to both Tokyo and Sydney, nonstop, in about 13 hours. It's as close as London.


    mimbles -
    I hadn't even thought about but you're right. The Peace Pagoda could easily be a space ship!!!


    sheila -
    I was so pleased with these shadows! I always like trees.


    ***Icy BC -
    Sometimes you just luck into wonderful shadows.


    myrelish -
    Living here is so wonderful with its multiple ethnicities. In addition to Japantown and Chinatown, we have an Italian section and a Russian area,as well.


    Magical Mystical Teacher -
    I'm not sure if that was a pepper tree...possibly. I didn't see any peppers, though. Your poetry is terrific.


    Tara R. -
    I am so much more cognizant of shadows since I have been participating in that meme.

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  20. Kathe W. -
    These shadows were so clear. I was driving down Post Street and couldn't pass them up. I almost always keep my camera with me these days for just such a reason.


    Sylvia K. -
    I feel almost guilty having warmth and sunshine while so much of the country is being deluged with snow and bitter cold.


    Unknown Mami -
    I didn't know about the pagoda, either, until I did this post. I've been learning a lot since I started blogging.

    Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti -
    I am thinking about you right now ( 3:40AM ) as I'm watching ABC News and watching the snow blanketing so much of the country. I can't even imagine what you all are going through...though I did live in Boston for four years about forty years ago. My oldest son, Shawn, chose to make his debut in a blizzard and we had to drive from the Lexington - Concord area all the way to the naval hospital in Chelsea!


    Karen -
    These were really great tree shadows...very detailed.


    Joan -
    I'm so glad you enjoyed my pictures.


    Mama Zen -
    These shadow shots of the trees were some of the best I found.


    Welshcakes Limoncello -
    It's good I had the trusty camera with me!


    Joanna Jenkins -
    When did you live in San Francisco? I think the Peace Pagoda did not arrive until 1969.


    Josep -
    I wish I spoke Japanese or Chinese, Catonese or Mandarin since we have such a huge population out here. Spanish really does help, though.


    qandlequeen -
    The Peace Pagoda is quite interesting. I don't even remember seeing it before!


    Hey Harriet -
    I finally got it all figured out. I knew I had posted before to Shadown Shot!!

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