Tokyo Photo News July 2014

Take the train west from Shinjuku for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach JR Musashi-Itsukaichi. From the station, walk an additional 40 minutes to reach Mt. Minamisawa Ajisaiyama, a name that literally translates to “Mt. Hydrangea”. Landowners here have grown hydrangeas for many years, and at the peak of the flowers’ beauty in July, they covered both sides of a kilometer stretch of sloping forest and mountain paths.

(July 1, 2014)

On July 1-2, Governor Masuzoe visited Mikura-jima and Miyake-jima, two islands located approximately 200 km south of the Tokyo city center. The Governor listened to explanations of the islands’ unique products and industries, then engaged in conversation with residents, all of whom live in the islands’ harsh natural environment. The photograph shows the Governor visiting a site where buildings including a school and a shrine were buried by lava flows in 1983 and 2000 Mount Oyama volcanic eruptions.

(July 2, 2014)

Every year on July 14, the 700-year-old Mizudome-no-mai festival is held at Gonsho-ji Temple, located in a residential area of Omori district in Ota Ward. A man climbs into a cylindrical tube that is wrapped in rope, and then he blows on a conch shell as water is poured over him and he is rolled down a hill road. This festival originates from prayers to halt a long spell of rain in the 14th century.

(July 14, 2014)

On July 26, the The 37th Sumida River Fireworks Festival, a summer tradition, was held in the traditional downtown area of Tokyo. Last year, sudden thunderstorms caused the event to be cancelled for the first time in its history, thirty minutes after it had begun. This year was blessed with sunny skies all day, and 965,000 people gathered to watch and cheer as 20,000 fireworks were fired into the air.

(July 26, 2014)