December 02, 2003
Matsushima trip
I would have posted this yesterday, but there were some technical problems. I've uploaded 5 photos, and you can view the rest in the photo album.
Matsushima is supposed to be one of the 3 best views in Japan. It was a bit foggy when we arrived on the 30th, but I think it just adds to the mystery of the place. The bay and its islands seem to be protected lands, because nobody has built anything on the smaller islands. Or maybe it's that everyone here has a bit of respect for anything this beautiful.
About 400 years ago, Date Masamune, a powerful warlord who united most of Japan under his rule, built a temple in Matsushima. The original building is still there, complete with original wood pillars, ornate wooden doors, gold leaf walls, and secret rooms. Since it was a residence of Masamune himself, the place is built with all the security provisions of a small fortress: squeaking floors to deter assassins, bends in the gates to prevent armies from charging in, and extra thick floors to prevent an attack from below.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take any photos inside the building, but after a quick lunch I explored one of the larger islands in the bay, connected by bridge.
Click to view the full image
Click to see the whole thing
Oh yes, and bing, bang, boom, those are the other three photos.
Posted by Jeff at December 2, 2003 03:34 PMWow, I really like the second from the last one in the photo album, the one that I think is a close-up of the islands. Very pretty!
Posted by: jen at December 3, 2003 01:16 AMI like the one with the bridge. It seems not only symmetrical, but symbolic. And it's red, which is cool!
Posted by: Mom at December 3, 2003 08:04 AMYou are amazingly good at landscape photography.
Posted by: Katie at December 3, 2003 03:07 PM