Los Angeles Travel Photographer

Surprise in a Cemetery in Japan's Kiso Valley - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

For obvious reasons, I donโ€™t seek out cemeteries in my travels. ๐Ÿ˜Š If I happen to be at one such location, I usually donโ€™t make photographs, out of respect for the spirits that may be around.

Cemetery-Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Cemetery-Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

When we arrived at Kozenji Temple (่ˆˆ็ฆ…ๅฏบ) in Kiso-Fukushima in rain, my legs followed my eyes to the cemetery in the back of the temple instead. While there, I found myself fighting the strong urge to photograph. In the end, the urge won.

Kozenji Temple was established in 1434 by the 12th Kiso lord Nobumichi (ๆœจๆ›พไฟก้“), who himself was buried there, along with the 19th lord Yoshiyasu Kiso (ๆœจๆ›พ็พฉๅบท). Itโ€™s the name on the grave stone next to his though that gave away the family origin - Minamoto no Yoshinaka (ๆบ็พฉไปฒ), the last name that traces back to
one of the four noble clans during the Heian period in Japan. It is from there I was able to learn the history of the family and the stories of this Kiso clan.

Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

By the time we left, we were covered in as brilliant of colors as those rain-saturated maple leaves. I couldnโ€™t believe that I enjoyed photographing in a cemetery so much. I was even more nicely surprised to have happened upon one for people with stories from hundred of years ago.

Graves-of-the-Minamoto-Family-Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Graves-of-the-Minamoto-Family-Kozenji-Kiso-Fukushima-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

I hope I did the cemetery justice while respecting privacy.

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Perfectly Late in Narai-Juku, Japan - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

The sun was going down in Narai-Juku, Japan. By the time we arrived, most people had long said sayonara.

To walk on the road by which people traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto some 400 years ago had me giggle secretly.

An old lady and her dog came out to say hello. By the look on the face, do you think the dog sensed my secret?

Nonetheless, it was getting dark. I walked onโ€ฆ

Old-Lady-and-Her-Dog-Narai-Juku-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Old-Lady-and-Her-Dog-Narai-Juku-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Iโ€™m a sucker for the amber glow thatโ€™s turned on at the turn of the dusk. Iโ€™m also such for the cooking smoke that comes from burning wood. When both culprits gang up to keep me around, I obliged.

I walked onโ€ฆ it was getting dark.

Going-Home-after-School-Narai-Juku-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Going-Home-after-School-Narai-Juku-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Before the sun left with all its rays, it had to bath this historical post town of the Edo Period and its people in the most mysterious color of the day.

I couldnโ€™t help but exclaiming โ€œWe are here, perfectly late!โ€

โ€ฆ โ€ฆ

I hope the dogโ€™s not around anymoreโ€ฆ ๐Ÿ˜›

Narai-Juku-at-Dusk-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Narai-Juku-at-Dusk-Japan-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

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Holiday Greetings 2020 - Jean Huang Photography

Have you played a game in which you say the phrase "in bed" at the end of each sentence? Try it if you havenโ€™t. You will laugh so hard like you havenโ€™t this year.

Now, do it with โ€œat homeโ€ instead. Yes, donโ€™t just say it, you actually do it. Itโ€™s like you are in a reality show. Itโ€™s more than a show. You are indeed living it. Thatโ€™s what most of 2020 feels like to me.

The other day, a friend asked me what my highlight of the year was. When I searched for answer, my Assistante, without hesitation, said โ€œyou are growing your own coffee beansโ€.

To briefly sum up the year thatโ€™s about to roll over will be challenging. Iโ€™ve lost someone whom I deeply care about to COVID-19. Iโ€™ve seen the country in turmoil, many places in flames. And Iโ€™ve had doubts/changes in my beliefs. Intense emotions sent me up in roller coasters throughout the year - sadness, frustration, outrage โ€ฆ

And yet, in all of these troubles, the great power out there connected me to a coffee plant. And thanks to it, I now have a sister that opened up a new realm of knowledge and reality for me. Meeting her is one of the best things thatโ€™s happened this year (and to leave things to no regret, I made sure to personally tell her that as well :-) ). She not only has an amazing collection of tropical plants, but also a rooster named
Red, a cat named Tiny Tiger, a few beehives and she foster hosts (not sure if thatโ€™s the right description) a show champion horse Remy.

I know youโ€™ve all read about the sisters that Iโ€™ve made in my travels, including
Maria and Maria (better yet, type โ€œsisterโ€ in the Search box on my blog page and see what comes up). Who would have thought that one would make meaningful connections with people when lockdown/stay-at-home/social-distancing is in place? As life is full of surprises and this year has come with no shortage of, it still happens. And with Kathy, I donโ€™t think thereโ€™s enough time in the world for us to talk about all the things we want to talk about. :-)

Speaking of connections, I wanted to mention the one and only trip that we made this year to a remote location in Canada that overlooks the Arctic Ocean. Taking things to the extreme is not our thing. But we did survive -50 degree celsius and came back home, amidst the WHO declared pandemic and US declared national emergency, in an almost empty airplane in March (Iโ€™m pretty sure we were among the last few that the airlines brought home from overseas). What made the trip extraordinary was the group of people that worked in the front and back of the scene with great passion to nature and culture (First Nation). And they either tell great stories or have/are the stories themselves , or both (think
Butch). I have started sharing about this trip and more will come for sure.

Before I end here, I wanted to present this image to you - โ€œSeeing the Lightโ€. Let there be light wherever you are in the world and in your life. Wishing you a happy 2021! As to the year thatโ€™s supposed to provide perfect vision, letโ€™s hope weโ€™ll see clearly the whats, hows and whys of all that happened this year not too far in the future, because hindsight is always 2020. :-)

Holiday-Greetings-2020-Seeing-the-Light-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Holiday-Greetings-2020-Seeing-the-Light-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

P.S. The custom designed greeting cards with the image โ€œSeeing the Lightโ€ have gone to some very valued clients/friends/supporters. If you havenโ€™t, please feel free to sign up to our VIP list for the possibility of receiving one of a kind holiday card in the mail in the future.

P.P.S. I was thinking, to the extent of keeping it safe, playing a game of โ€œin bedโ€ โ€œat homeโ€ this New Yearโ€™s Eve would be fun. Youโ€™re welcome! :-)

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