Japan: Toyouke Shrine in Urayasu

Japan is an old country, especially compared to a newcomer like the United States. As such, there's a lot of history to accommodate in a relatively small space. Appreciably, they try to conserve this history whenever possible, meaning that your liable to stumble into multiple unexpected temples throughout the cities.  Surrounded by all the modern trappings you can still readily find your zen zone.

Toyouke shrine, in the Nekozane area of Urayasu, is a beautiful structure and integral part of the cultural heritage of the area. Every four years there's a huge festival in the town called the Urayasu Sanja Matsuri, which includes Toyouke shrine among the three celebrated. 

All was quiet when I visited this time, but I was lucky enough to catch the Sanja Matsuri in 2012!

Here's hoping I can catch the next one in 2016~

Japan: Grey day in Urayasu

Hailing from the desert, rainy days are a favorite of mine. 

There's no shortage of rainfall in Japan, which bodes well for my affinity for precipitation.

Japan: Day to day vibes 2011-11-30

More meanderings around my neighborhood in Urayasu-shi, Japan. 

Photo diary~

Japan: Fujimi Yonchome & City Hall 2011-11-28

After settling in and preparing for work, it was time to tend to all the legalities of my move. 

Working in Japan it was imperative to have a work visa, which was hammered out prior to my arrival but now that I was here there were some final details to hash out. I made my way to city hall and took many photos along the way. Here's a glimpse into my neighborhood and day to day life in Urayasu!

Japan: First day in Disney 2011-11-26

Welcome to Urayasu!

Urayasu is an old fishing village located on the bay of Tokyo, just across the water from Tokyo proper. Shin-Urayasu, or new-Urayasu, was another district of the city built out of reclaimed land (utilizing landfill) and provided the space for many of the Disney cast and dancers's housing, as well as much of the land used for both Disney parks. This meant that when the 3.11 Earthquake hit liquefaction was a major problem for much of the Shin-Urayasu area, whereas my neighborhood in old-town was relatively unaffected in comparison. By the time I arrived late in 2011, most of the damages in Urayasu were unnoticeable, whereas places near Disney and throughout Shin-Urayasu were starkly and noticeably impacted.