Texture. I bet this part of Yamanaka looks super green and lush right now. It was amazing in the Fall with all the bright colors layered into the jungle greens. I love the texture that all the layers of leaves and branches make. I wish I could be there right now.

Pickled. The best pickled thing from my last trip to Japan was the Akakabu I had in Shirakawago. It was so great. It’s taken me a bit to get used to the pickled veggies you get served with meals but now I like them. It was cool getting to see this big crop of Akakabu being prepped to be pickled by a store in town.

Lion Hugs. Big lion hugs to everyone in Japan that has been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Ganbaro!

Prayers. The last few days of watching and listening to all the news from Japan has been overwhelming and sad. It’s made me think a lot about how much I’ve enjoyed my time in Japan and how much I love it there. Then I remembered this photo I took this last Fall of the Daibutsu in Kamakura and it made me feel better.

Framed. I really like how windows frame the world outside and how they sometimes make the view seam like a framed picture. This glass wall at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa was awesome. The way the floor and ceiling cropped the view was great.