YOKOHAMA: 1920S

YOKOHAMA: 1920S
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

INSPIRED BY ONE OF OKINAWA SOBI's old photos of Japan in his most excellent collection of Japanese photographs from the mid-to-late 19th century. For those interested in the history and culture of Japan, OKINAWA SOBA's photostream is history that is rich in fact and images. Once you visit his photostream, you will most likely return, time and again. My sincerest gratitude to the man for his dedication and historical contributions. Robert L. Huffstutter, editor.
(The old panel truck is not in O.S.'s photo--I added it for purpose of composition--and humor)

"THEN and NOW" #`1 of 2 -- T. ENAMI'S PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO - A Quiet Day on Benten Street, Yokohama, ca.1900-05

"THEN and NOW" #`1 of 2 -- T. ENAMI'S PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO - A Quiet Day on Benten Street, Yokohama, ca.1900-05
Originally uploaded by Okinawa Soba

MR.OKINAWA SOBA..............This is one of my favorites. It is the presence of our two flags and the history of our two nations from this date until the present that so fascinates my mind. Who could have known the road that would be taken and who would have ever believed that our two nations, after all that happened, would become the allies and true friends we are today. Japan and the U.S. are two very different nations, yet so much alike in so many ways.

Some wonder how Japan and the U.S. were able to re-establish such a great relationship after 1945. It is simple: Japan, though it is full of mystery and tradition, is a nation where mental brilliance is a personal goal. That, combined with common sense and the ability to take private and corporate free enterprise to the maximum, is one of the secrets of their success. The fundamental explanation for Japan's success has much to do with character and honor.
Robert L. Huffstutter
_________________________________________________

THEN and NOW" #`1 of 2 -- T. ENAMI'S PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO - A Quiet Day on Benten Street, Yokohama, ca.1900-05
A hand-colored postcard view of Enami's studio at No.9 Benten street, ca.1900-05. Usually called "Benten Dori" on the old photo and postcard captions, "Dori" is simply the Japanese word for "Street".

In this view, we are looking in a Northwesterly direction. Many views can be found showing this same stretch of street when it was decorated with flags and lanterns during festival times, war celebrations, and commemorative events. In such shots, hardly any store signs can be seen. Enami chose a quieter day to get this shot.

Notice the two men looking into Enami's studio windows, were many formats of his sample photographs are on display. Wonder what the pictures are ?

FOR A LOOK SOME OF ENAMI'S AMAZING OUTPUT FROM THIS LITTLE STUDIO DURING THE YEARS 1892 TO 1929, SEE : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/collections/7215761388...

There is also another photo studio up ahead on the corner, with pictures on display as well. In fact, along with all of the souvenir shops, there are so many photo studios on this street, that it can be rightfully called "Photographers Row".

NOW ---- Jump 100 years into the future ! www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2413960428/

Uploaded by Okinawa Soba on 14 Apr 08, 9.05AM PST

Yamashita Park

Yamashita Park
Originally uploaded by shinnygogo

yes.......a lot of changes since 1963

Yamashita Park

Uploaded by shinnygogo on 7 Jan 07, 1.32AM PST.

YAMATO TRAIN STATION 1963 JAPAN 日本

YAMATO TRAIN STATION 1963 JAPAN 日本
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

MEMORIES OF A JAPAN OF ANOTHER TIME AND ERA...the Japan I shall always love and remember, the Japan where my fires of spring were first ignited...and now recalled, once again, almost fifty years later.

YAMATO TRAIN STATION 1963 JAPAN 日本
Originally sketched this in pencil at the station and later turned it into pen and ink. Note the expressions on the faces of onlookers in rear windows of last car.

Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 7 Oct

WALKING TO T. ENAMI'S PHOTO STUDIO IN YOKOHAMA -- A Trip to the Photographer Over 100 Years Ago

WALKING TO T. ENAMI'S PHOTO STUDIO IN YOKOHAMA -- A Trip to the Photographer Over 100 Years Ago
Originally uploaded by Okinawa Soba

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF YOKOHAMA; I NOTE THAT OUR FLAGS ARE FLYING SIDE BY SIDE. AND THEY ARE FLYING SIDE BY SIDE ONCE AGAIN...My gratitude to Okinawa Soba
__________________________________________________
INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMAGE BY OKINAWA

WALKING TO T. ENAMI'S PHOTO STUDIO IN YOKOHAMA -- A Trip to the Photographer Over 100 Years Ago
You are looking Northwest on Benten Street in Yokohama. We have just passed the studio of Kozaburo Tamamura, and the sign T. ENAMI PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (I have inserted a red arrow that points to it) is beginning the emerge from behind another sign that blocks it from view. The red ball hanging in the air just beyond the red arrow is a sign for an Ivory Carvings shop. A little further on is where Kimbei Kusakabe opened his first studio. Many other Studios would come and go on this street over the years, making it the "Photographers Row" of Japan.

Although Enami's place seems insignificant from where we stand, from it flowed what would become the largest stereographic record of Japan to come from a single studio. Enami's beautiful 3-D images surpassed in sheer numbers and quality the work of any other identified Japanese photographer during Japan's first 100 years of photographic history. Enami would also produce some of the best lantern-slide images that are now found in many photographic Archives and Institutions of the world.

Of course, he started out like the rest of his more famous contemporaries by taking portraits of tourists, and producing over 1000 large albumen photograph titles. These large, hand-colored images were hand printed under the sun in multiple copies for many years to meet world-wide demand. Today, these images are usually found mounted on cardboard pages from the Souvenir Albums of the 1890s

More about Enami at www.t-enami.org/

Here are some other BENTEN STREET images on my stream, with additional caption commentary : www.flickr.com/search/?w=24443965@N08&q=Benten+Street...

Uploaded by Okinawa Soba on 10 Apr 08,

Michisakari local sake, Izumiya Restaurant, Gifu, Japan

Michisakari local sake, Izumiya Restaurant, Gifu, Japan
Originally uploaded by Joel Abroad

ONE BEAUTIFUL STILL-LIFE......impossible to be still after a few drinks of sake..........oh, yes, I have drank sake. I still have some of the huge bottles I brought back from Yokohama. All empty, of course.............I added this to my Japanese gallery and to my BLOGABOUTJAPAN. Thanks for your many excellent photos that permit to revisit Japan, time and again. Someday, hopefully, I shall return. Rob
___________________________________________________-

Michisakari local sake, Izumiya Restaurant, Gifu, Japan
Michisakari local sake, Izumiya Restaurant, Gifu, Japan, July 2008: 三千盛 'three thousand peak/prime/zenith'

Uploaded by Joel Abroad

Ueno, Tokyo

Ueno, Tokyo
Originally uploaded by D A I

HAVE YOU PURCHASED YOUR ANTI-TRIX-BY-SOCIALISTS-INSPECTION GLASSES YET? GET THEM IN TOKYO ASAP.......

Ueno, Tokyo

Uploaded by D A I on 4 Oct 09, 6.32AM PST

Entrance side of Kobuntei villa in Kairakuen, Mito

Entrance side of Kobuntei villa in Kairakuen, Mito
Originally uploaded by Joel Abroad

THE PERFECT PHOTO FOR AN ARMCHAIR PAINTING BY AN ARMCHAIR TRAVELER
_____________________________________________________
Entrance side of Kobuntei villa in Kairakuen, Mito
Entrance side of Kobuntei villa in Kairakuen, Mito, March 2006

Uploaded by Joel Abroad

Toyopet Crown RS-L, 1958

Toyopet Crown RS-L, 1958
Originally uploaded by Joel Abroad

Toyopet Crown RS-L, 1958
Toyopet Crown RS-L, 1958, Toyota Automobile Museum, Nagoya, Japan, July 2009: designed for export to the U.S.

Uploaded by Joel Abroad

THIS AUTO, IN ALL OF ITS SIMPLICITY, IS EXCITING AS HELL...IT MAKES MY HEART RACE BACK INTO ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE....THANKS TO JOEL ABROAD FOR SOME SUPER PHOTOS...

MID-PACIFIC, U.S. NAVY 1964

MID-PACIFIC, U.S. NAVY 1964
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

MID-PACIFIC, U.S. NAVY 1964

OF COURSE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SAY SAYONARA...

MOST ALL OF US CAN REMEMBER A TIME, PERHAPS A DAY, WHEN...we had to make a decision about how we wanted to spend our future, what we wanted, what we needed, who needed us, and what our hearts told us what we should do for the rest of our lives.

Two roads diverged in a woods, and I took one of the two...and I cannot imagine having taken the other one now. I just don't go there too much anymore...

RURAL JAPAN, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE 1961

RURAL JAPAN, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE 1961
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

I JUST DISCOVERED A FEW HUNDRED EKTACHROMES TAKEN WHILE IN JAPAN AND I HOPE TO BE POSTING THEM AS TIME GOES BY........

Shortly after arriving in Japan, I purchased a little 90cc motorcycle, more akin to a Moped, but yet a motorcycle. For a guy who liked to get out in the country and shoot photos, it was the perfect little bike. It was difficult to get a passenger on the back, and within a few months, I no longer felt like sketching alone.

The cycle went for $25. Yes, some romantic young artist must still be motoring around the rural areas at this moment. My only fear, however, is that most of the rural area has disappeared. Such is youth; such is progress as time goe by.

a trip to Hakone began at the Railway Station...

HOTEL IN MOTOMACHI 1963

HOTEL IN MOTOMACHI 1963
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY IMAGES OF JAPAN AND THE PAST in my phototstream, I have had some friends suggest I return to Yokoham and go ambling about in all of my old haunts. Thanks, but no thanks; I have learned that the old adage "the more things change, the more they remain the same" is a tragic myth. It's impossible to go back, at least for me.

The error in this train of thought is that although there might be a few of the old haunts left, they would not be the same: those that were there, those who made the tour such a beautiful and romantic interlude would be absent. There is this matter of aging in the flesh; there is this matter of how quickly youth is spent.

There is the reality of the wrinkles that replace the rosy and sanguine cheeks and lips, the lustre of the hair and the light of hope in youthful eyes. No, there is no way to go back...

DAWN IS BREAKING IN YOKOHAMA: A SNAPSHOT FROM 1961

DAWN IS BREAKING IN YOKOHAMA: A SNAPSHOT FROM 1961
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

An industrial inlet or large canal connecting with the body of Tokyo Bay;specifically Yokohama Bay in 1963. Shot with a Petri 35 mm, one fine camera in the 60s. I shot many black and white photos. As is the case when one is moving about in the service, many of my photos were lost. Thankfully, some of my best were secure.
This photo has notes. Move your mouse over the photo to see them.

A SHORT ESSAY ESSAY ON THE O'FURO, the traditional Japanese bath by Robert L. Huffstutter

A SHORT ESSAY ESSAY ON THE O'FURO, the traditional Japanese bath by Robert L. Huffstutter
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

A SHORT ESSAY ON THE O'FURO, THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BATH By Robert L. Huffstutter

The most important issue to keep in mind when contemplating the o'furo is that it is not a hot tub to jump into and wash up. No, on the contrary, the sudsing, scrubbing and cleansing takes place prior to the entry into the very warm and sometimes a tad too hot, bath. Many of the baths are ceramic and tiled; the older ones are wooden, aged throughout the years dating back sometimes a century or more.

This is a time for the short bathing-style kimonos or bath jackets, often made with a cheesecloth or linen. One rule of ettiquette was to leave the sake back in one's room, but it's a rule that's flexible.

Many of the smaller hotels in Japan had the traditional ofuro, but it was bery basic and without adequate plumbing to fill and refill water buckets without going into a utility area.

Nevertheless, there was something unique about the bath in that one could truly feel the warmth of an age-old tradition.

If one had a guest, the guest was welcome to bathe as part of the accomdations. If one preferred, the hotel staff would fetch and carry the initial wash water and the subsequent tubs of warm, rinse water.

With or without company, the o'furo was a unique experience for most all who had never experience the fascination of the Orient. For this youth, it was especially memorable, having been accustomed to showers.
Posted 7 hours ago.

Oct 14, 2009

Oct 14, 2009
Originally uploaded by lazysupper

THIS IS A MOST UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPH. IT IS DRAMATIC AND EMPLOYS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTIC SYMBOLS OF JAPAN, THE RISING SUN. Although there are those who might be uncomfortable with the image, I find it historical and an image that identified the beauty and culture of Japan for many centuries. As I look at this photo, I can imagine the volumes of history that might be stored in the building below.

Oct 14, 2009
Uploaded with AirMe

Uploaded by lazysupper on 14 Oct 09,

12_t JAPANESE RESEARCH PROJECT 1948 through 1961

12_t
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

http://library.osu.edu/sites/rarebooks/japan/2_photos.html

Tokyo University

Tokyo University
Originally uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす

Tokyo University
Hasselblad SWC(CarlZeiss Biogon 38mm 1:4.5)/ILFORD XP2SUPER

Uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす on 5 Oct 09, 5.24AM PDT

from a print of Hiroshige Nagakubo

from a print of Hiroshige Nagakubo
Originally uploaded by mjdezo

from a print of Hiroshige Nagakubo

Uploaded by mjdezo on 1 Jul 09

MY BEST PHOTOGRAPH IN 50 YEARS

MY BEST PHOTOGRAPH IN 50 YEARS
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

MY BEST PHOTOGRAPH IN 50 YEARS
"my best photo in 50 years

OLD JAPAN WOODBLOCK PRINT

OLD JAPAN WOODBLOCK PRINT
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

AN ESSAY ON READING JAPANESE TEXT By Robert L. Huffstutter

A few days ago, you mentioned something about having to read a Japanese newspaper to find out who the other contenders in the Olympics were. That, of course, is of no concern now, but your mention of reading Japanese inspired more than a trifle amount of thought about reading Japanese.

One can only imagine how difficult it would be for English-speaking and reading populations to have to learn the thousands of characters it requires to read the news in a Japanese newspaper. Yes, a most admirable fete, learning the Japanese language. It is unfathomable for my occidental mind to comprehend where one would begin.

The thought of reading a Japanese novel would, for me, be a challenge of a lifetime. I have waited too long to learn the languages of the Orient. It would be, for all who learn and have learned, an accomplishment of a lifetime. I am understanding the mind of the Japanese just a little bit better by concentrating on the subject of how accurate their memory must be to visually know each character and where to put it in any kind of context.

This is just one of the many thousands of reasons I admire the Japanese and find Japan so fascinating.

japanese writing

japanese writing
Originally uploaded by sesshys gal

I can only imagine how difficult it would be for English-speaking and reading populations to have to learn the thousands of characters it requires to read the news in a Japanese newspaper. Yes, a most admirable fete, learning the Japanese language. It is unfathomable for mind to comprehend where one would begin. The thought of reading a Japanese novel would, for me, be a challenge of a lifetime. I have waited to long to learn the languages of the Orient. It would be, for all who learn and have learned, an accomplishment of a lifetime. I am understanding the mind of the Japanese just a little bit better by concentrating on the subject of how accurate their memory must be to visually know each character and where to put it in any kind of context. This is just one of the many thousands of reasons I admire the Japanese and find Japan so fascinating. Robert L. Huffstutter

Hiroshima Cityscape

Hiroshima Cityscape
Originally uploaded by bitterly_hopeful

You have captured the essence of many different emotions and issues through this image. I made the trip to this site in 1962 and spent much time contemplating the issues of war and peace. It was a day of great sorrows, great hopes and a day when I learned much about humanity. Japan is one of the most exceptional nations on earth.

The Japanese have a character that is beyond comprehension in the mind of those who are not Japanese. I will tell you that honor is the primary issue in the life of every Japanese. I cannot evaluate the mind of the Japanese in any other vein; I am not Japanese.

One might have assumed that a lone American in the darkest parts of Tokyo, alone and naive, would have been the target for revenge only sixteen years after the war ended. I will state that not once during my nearly three years spent in Japan did I ever experience any kind of hatred or spiteful behavior whatsoever. What was past was past. The kindness and hospitality I enjoyed nearly fifty years ago will always remain one of my fondest memories.

Shizutani School

Shizutani School
Originally uploaded by bitterly_hopeful

Shizutani School
300 year old schoolhouse somewhere near Ako, Japan

Uploaded by bitterly_hopeful on 4 Nov 07, 2.54AM PDT.

All Sentient Life

All Sentient Life
Originally uploaded by The Foamy Green

All Sentient Life
Please report to the mothership

Uploaded by The Foamy Green on 5 Jan 09, 11.15PM PDT.

In Jazz, You're Never Alone

In Jazz, You're Never Alone
Originally uploaded by The Foamy Green

http://www.flickr.com/photos/piano4film/2871449964/

A canal of Tokyo

A canal of Tokyo
Originally uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす

This reminds me of the Tokyo I visited so frequently in the early 1960s. My first trip to Tokyo was aboard a Pan American Airways 707 in August 1961. We departed San Francisco International around 7:00 a.m. We landed in Honolulu around noon. I do not know how the time differences affects this short narrative, I am simply relating to the time I saw on my watch. After one half hour in Honolulu, time enough to catch a glimpse of DIamondhead and send three postcards home to sister, aunt and uncle and another friend, the Pan Am was in the air heading toward....a whole new world of fantastic experiences that have become memories that no money can ever buy.

During the flight, Kirin beer was served and rolled hot towels were handed to us for our freshen-up faces. "You feel better," the beautiful young Japanese attendant, in semi-kimono attire, said. It was at that moment that I knew I was going to have experiences beyond my imagination. Everything was so structured in a most ceremonial manner. Once our plane landed at Haneda, customs was easy and an English speaking representative of Pan Am directed us to our U.S. Navy bus nearby, smiled, bowed, shook our hands and said, "You will have nice time Japan, very nice."

The bus began rolling out of the airport complex and into busy and narrow street. It was August 1961, and I do not recall the bus getting on to any major freeways or super highways. There was no Hollywood Freeway in Tokyo at the point in time, at least not to my knowledge. I am glad there was no freeway. The journey to Atsugi was one busy and unforgettable ride with a thousand different aromas and scents teasing and plundering my olfactatory senses. It was a blend of smells, scents, aromas, like nothing my mind had ever experienced; it was the smell of the Orient, a pleasing and mysterious aroma, a scent of a romantic lifestyle that I had only theretofore entertained in youthful fantasy. Oh, yes, everything was totally different than San Francisco, totally different than Los Angeles, and totaly different than Kansas CIty, Missouri. For a youth that had yet to enter my twenties, I felt like my decision to join the Navy was the wisest decision I had ever made. Later, as the conflict in Vietnam grew more intense, I realized that such a decision might have a big influence on my life

Starbucks, Roppongi

Starbucks, Roppongi
Originally uploaded by philipjbigg

I AM NOT SURPRISED. STARBUCKS IS EVERYWHERE. WHEN YOU NEED A STRONG SHOT OF CAFFEINE, BLACK COFFEE AT STARBUCKS TO GO............

Starbucks, Roppongi

Uploaded by philipjbigg on 25 Jan 08, 9.22AM PDT.

Starbucks, Roppongi

Starbucks, Roppongi
Originally uploaded by philipjbigg

I AM NOT SURPRISED. STARBUCKS IS EVERYWHERE. WHEN YOU NEED A STRONG SHOT OF CAFFEINE, BLACK COFFEE AT STARBUCKS TO GO............

Starbucks, Roppongi

Uploaded by philipjbigg on 25 Jan 08, 9.22AM PDT.

Chinatown, Chinese New Year's day 2008

Chinatown, Chinese New Year's day 2008
Originally uploaded by philipjbigg

Chinatown, Chinese New Year's day 2008
Chinese New Year's Day 2008.02.07, Yokohama

Uploaded by philipjbigg on 10 Feb 08

An oiled-paper umbrella

An oiled-paper umbrella
Originally uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす

THIS IS ONE EXCELLENT PHOTO; IT IS THE ESSENCE OF ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL MADE BY THE JAPANESE. THIS IS, IN MY OPINION, THE VERY DEFINITION OF THE ART PHOTO........Editor

An oiled-paper umbrella
RolleicordⅠa/CarlZeissJena Triotar 1;4.5 f=7.5cm / E100G

Uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす on 17 Jul 08, 6.46AM PDT.

Hotel New Grand in Yokohama

Hotel New Grand in Yokohama
Originally uploaded by SUNDANCE さんだんす

This hotel was one of my favorite western hangouts while I was stationed in Japan in 1961 through 1963 at NAS Atsugi. I loved the beautiful woodwork in the bar; the fact that it was once the headquarters of General MacArthur. I enjoyed the entire area around the bund. When I wanted to go to the more traditional areas, I went to Chinatown for nightlife, Sankien Gardens for nature and throughout all of Yokohama. It was and remains to be one of my favorite cities of the world. I have a collection of photos I took in Japan during the early 60s posted on Flickr. Editor

Kushiya

Kushiya
Originally uploaded by ajpscs

Shinbashi (新橋) is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located south of Ginza, west of Tsukiji, east of Toranomon and north of Hamamatsucho. Shinbashi was the Tokyo terminus of the first railway in Japan in 1872. It remains a major railway hub and has since developed as a commercial center, most recently with the construction of the Shiodome "Shiosite" high-rise office complex.

Located centrally and a 10-minute walk from the Ginza shopping district, directly south of Tokyo station. Shimbashi is the original terminus of Japan's first stretch of railway, the Tōkaidō Main Line, and is one of Japan's oldest stations (the oldest station being Shinagawa, a few kilometres down the line). The original Shimbashi Station, opened on October 10, 1872, was built some way to the east of the modern-day structure and was known as Shimbashi Teishajō (新橋停車場).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinbashi
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimbashi_Station

Kanteibyō (關帝廟) street #1537

Kanteibyō (關帝廟) street #1537
Originally uploaded by Nemo's great uncle

Kanteibyō (關帝廟) street #1537

Uploaded by Nemo's great uncle on 17 Feb 06, 4.37AM PDT.

Tokyo: Ochanomizu

Tokyo: Ochanomizu
Originally uploaded by manganite

For Manfred, who told me that this view is the one which contains everything what he associates with Tokyo.

And one can understand this in some sense, I think. There're so much things to be seen typical for this city in it. First of all maybe the train tracks crossing here on three different levels, the yellow Sobu line, the red Chuo line and below of them the Marunouchi Line crossing the Kandagawa. And the buildings, the contrast of the small and old ones along the river and the high and colorful buildings in the background, marking the border between Ochanomizu and Akihabara.

You can see this also here: www.ipernity.com/doc/manganite/946082

Uploaded by manganite on 15 Sep 06,

thanks to the above photographer for a wonderful photo with tags "old Tokyo", the way I found this unique photo. Editor

Golden Bridge

Golden Bridge
Originally uploaded by pinboke_planet

Golden Bridge
Akashi-kaikyo-Bridge
[地図を表示]

Uploaded by pinboke_planet on 21 Sep 06,

THE ESSENCE OF A JAPANESE RESTAURANT: YOKOHAMA 1961

THE ESSENCE OF A JAPANESE RESAURANT: YOKOHAMA 1961
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

One of my early photos taken with composition in mind. It remains one of my few favorites. When I view this photo, I sometimes feel like I should have stayed in Japan and dedicated my life to photographing one nation that is truly one of the most beautiful nations on earth. There is absolutely nothing about this photo I do not enjoy. And because I still drink Pepsi and have not drank sake for many years, this photo has a special meaning to me. The part of this photograph that captures my attention after nearly fifty years is the traditional tile roof. Do not think me boastful, but there are times when I must reasses my purpose for having been given the joy of life's experiences. Though this is one of a material nature, we live in a material world. That this photograph is full of fond memories reassures me of the spiritual nature of life.

portrait of my Tower44+

portrait of my Tower44+
Originally uploaded by Momota.M

portrait of my Tower44+
serene moment... with soft light from the classic window.

GR Digital 2
at Tokyo / Meguro

Uploaded by Momota.M on 24 May 09, 5.12AM PDT.

WATERCOLOR OF A JAPANESE VILLAGE WITH MT FUJI IN BACKGROUND BY R. L. HUFFSTUTTER

WATERCOLOR OF A JAPANESE VILLAGE WITH MT FUJI IN BACKGROUND BY R. L. HUFFSTUTTER
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

This is a watercolor I began and completed yesterday, 23 September 2009. In order to find my subject matter, I closed my eyes and reflected on a few events enjoyed in the early 60s while stationed in Japan with VQ-1, based at NAS Atsugi, Japan. From the base, I was afforded a view of Mt Fuji everyday when the weather permitted. With a few moments, the joy of those memories became an easy subject matter. Thus, the above image. While I did take many photographs and made many sketches, I am sorry I did not spend more time taking photos and sketching. Japan is truly a nation where almost everywhere one looks, there is a view worth capturing. It is a beautiful nation with a beautiful and honorable people.

Voyage à Tokyo 13

Voyage à Tokyo 13
Originally uploaded by modern_classic

Voyage à Tokyo 13
Ueno, Tokyo

Pentax SP / Takumar 50mm f1.4 / Fuji SUPERIA 400

Uploaded by modern_classic on 9 Oct 08

CHECK OUT ALL OF MODERN CLASSIC PHOTOS.......GREAT WORK. The Editor.................Robert

Japanese matchbox label

Japanese matchbox label
Originally uploaded by Shailesh Chavda

http://www.flickr.com/groups/40_year_old_art_and_photos_of_japan/pool/

Japanese matchbox label

Uploaded by Shailesh Chavda on 2 Sep 09, 2.17PM PDT.

SKETCHES OF JAPAN IN 1962: EDITED WITH PICNIK

SKETCHES OF JAPAN IN 1962: EDITED WITH PICNIK
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

It will be difficult to moderate anything about Japan. There is an old adage about doing all things with or in moderation. As one who once lived in Japan, I must say that it was impossible to keep my emotions about such a beautiful country moderate. It was love at first sight. From the first day I arrived by Pan Am 707 in August of 1961, I knew that I was in for the time of my life.

The bus ride from the old International Airport was the busride of a lifetime; it was the busride I had been waiting for since I was a small child. The weather was pretty warm and the air was thick; my nostrils noticed some strange new aromas. There was the sharp aroma of spices that were pleasant and nice; there were areas where the smells were less than nice. I learned about their source a little later. It never really bothered me since I hadn't arrived in Japan to farm or do any agricultural tasks. No, I was sent to Japan to perform some administrative tasks in a Naval Air Squadron based at the Naval Air Station near Atsugi. It had been a major airfield for the Japanese Zeros, Bettys and other combatant aircraft during World War Two.

I had no attitude about the war. I didn't get into it since I was way too young when it started, born less than a month after Pearl Harbor. But that is old news now. Nevertheless, it made a big difference in the relationship between our two nations. As I said, nothing about Japan can be described as moderate. The way the war ended was far from moderate, but it ended. And look at Japan today. It's success is far from moderate. I love America. And I love Japan. We are like two siblings sometimes; at other times, we are like two lovers.

And there is so much more to Japan than what one sees on the surface. One thing is for certain: anyone who has ever spent any lenght of time in Japan will understand what I am saying about moderation. Okay, now that you know that I am the moderator, welcome Honorable Visitors.

Robert L. Huffstutter

FH010024

FH010024
Originally uploaded by hiromori

THIS TYPE OF SCENE APPEALS TO ME. IT IS ONE EXCELLENT PHOTO. PERSPECTIVE GREAT. COLORS ARE PERFECT. WHILE I WAS IN JAPAN, I CLIMBED MANY OF THESE STAIRWAYS. THE ONES I RECALL WITH CLARITY ARE THOSE ON ENOSHIMA ISLAND. This is another fine photograph from the Flickr photostream of the photographer hiromori. Many thanks to Hiromori for permitting me to exhibit some of his photos in my online journal BLOGABOUTJAPAN.

FH010024

Uploaded by hiromori on 20 Dec 06, 5.42AM PDT

FH000008

FH000008
Originally uploaded by hiromori

It is good to see that bridges like these still remain. One of the sights that has always fascinated me was the retaining walls of Japan, the way the stones are so unique and laid in order. Congratulations on your many beautiful photographs. Editor.

FH000008

Uploaded by hiromori on 16 Dec 06, 8.50AM PDT.

FH000009

FH000009
Originally uploaded by hiromori

FH000009

Uploaded by hiromori on 16 Dec 06, 8.50AM PDT.

COPY THE LINK BELOW FOR RETURN TRIP

http://blogaboutjapan.blogspot.com/

MY SINCERE THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO YOU

MY SINCERE THANKS AND GRATITUDE

TO YOU, THE MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO HAVE PERMITTED

ME TO EXHIBIT THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS IN OUR BLOG,

BLOGABOUTJAPAN

THANK YOU

Robert L. Huffstutter

JAPAN 1961

JAPAN 1961
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING IN JAPAN, I PURCHASED A PETRI at the Navy Exchange in Yokohama. It had the "new magic eye" or built-in light meter, a feature I thought would make a great difference in that I would not have to worry about Fstops and all the technical aspects. It was, in reality, a forerunner of the AUTOMATIC FEATURE. In other words, it was a point and shoot.

I shot many slides to begin with due to the high cost of color film. Hopefully, they are still in good shape, and I will be able to transfer them into photos and thus transfer them to my Flickr photostream. If there is a method for using a scanner to enlarge slides and get them into my system, I have not yet figured it out.

Through a contact in Flickr, I have been presented a Petri and am eagerly awaiting its arrival to see if it is still as fascinating as I recall. The best way to prove this, however, would be through board a JAL for Tokyo and then start shooting great photos. Maybe, sometime, I hope to return. It would be a second adventure of a lifetime.......Robert

Superset

Superset
Originally uploaded by David Kyle Craig

THIS MAGNIFICENT PHOTOGRAPH, by David Kyle Craig, is one of my favorite photographs of a "rising sun." Although it was taken somewhere up in the California mountains where my friend, David, resides, it reminds me of a rising sun I have so often seen and remember when I lived in Japan many years ago. David Kyle Craig is truly one of America's best photographers. I suggest that all who see this image take the time to view his many magnificent photographs of the USA. Editor, Robert L. Huffstutter'
_____________________________________________________
Uploaded by David Kyle Craig on 12 May 09, 12.51PM PDT.

natsu no hajimari

natsu no hajimari
Originally uploaded by ponkan ＠machine troubled...

natsu no hajimari
gion matsuri yoiyoiyoiyama - kyoto city, kyoto.

Uploaded by ponkan ＠machine troubled... on 14 Jul 09, 4.20PM PDT

PERFECTION IN CONTRAST BY PETIT IN TOKYO

Originally uploaded by PETIT™

I WILL NEVER FORGET THE DAY I GOT OFF THE PAN AMERICAN JET THAT FLEW ME TO TOKYO IN AUGUST OF 1961. ONCE I WENT THROUGH CUSTOMS AND WAS OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT, I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND LOOKED AROUND.

JAPAN. COULD I REALLY BE IN JAPAN? AMERICANS WERE THERE TO GREET US AND DIRECT US TO THE RIGHT BUSES. I WAS PUT ON A NAVY GREY BUS AND THE JOURNEY TO ATSUGI NAVAL AIR STATION BEGAN.

ONCE THE BUS BEGAN ITS JOURNEY THROUGH THE NARROW STREETS AND I SAW ONE UNIQUE CITY SCENE AFTER ANOTHER, I FELL IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WITH JAPAN. PETIT'S PHOTO REMINDS ME OF ONE OF THE MANY SCENES I SAW THROUGH THE BUS WINDOW.

CHECK OUT PETIT'S FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM FOR SOME GREAT PHOTOS OF JAPAN. ROBERT L. HUFFSTUTTER, editor.........

.Uploaded by PETIT™ on 19 Aug 09, 12.09PM PDT

machi no akari kirakira

machi no akari kirakira
Originally uploaded by ponkan ＠machine troubled...

I LOVE CATS AND I LOVE JAPAN, THUS....THIS PHOTO HAS TOUCHED MY HEART IN A WAY I CANNOT EXPLAIN. THE LIGHTS IN THE BACKGROUND ARE REFLECTING SO MANY FOND MEMORIES I HAVE OF JAPAN AND OF THE CATS I HAVE KNOWN AND LOVED THROUGHOUT MY LIFETIME. A STRANGE COMBINATION, I KNOW, BUT WHO KNOWS OUR MINDS? THANKS TO PONKAN FOR THIS PHOTO. PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SEE SOME MARVELOUS PHOTOS OF JAPAN...and more cats. Robert L. Huffstutter
___________________________________________________
machi no akari kirakira
kyoto city, kyoto.

Uploaded by ponkan ＠machine troubled... on 18 May 09, 7.28AM PDT.