Showing posts with label drainspotiing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drainspotiing. Show all posts

Monday, March 19, 2012

New Hiroshima Draincovers


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When I first visited Hiroshima City I could not find any manhole covers with interesting designs, but in the past year or so 2 new ones have appeared. This first one shows senbazuru, " a thousand origami cranes".

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Origami cranes are not unique to Hiroshima, they are a traditional item, but Hiroshima is associated with them especially outside of japan because of the story of  Sadako Sasaki. Aged 2 when the bomb exploded over Hiroshima she later contracted leukemia and set about making 1,000 cranes before she died. people from all over the world now send senbazuru to Hiroshima.

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The second design features the local baseball team the Hiroshima Carp, possibly related to the construction of a new stadium. I have zero interest in baseball so have no idea if the team is any good.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Ushioni the Cow Demon


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Ushioni, demons with the head of a cow, appear in legends and stories all over western Japan.

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Probably the most well-known nowadays are the ushioni of Uwajima in Ehime on Shikoku.

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In the third week of July the Ushioni Matsuri takes place involving a parade of 5-8 meter long figures with these heads atop tall poles.

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In Uwajima they function as protection in a similar way to Shishi.