Live, Love, Give!

Thanks to the My World team, Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Louise, Fishing Guy and Sylvia for making this a world wide event.

I was in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles) on  a self-guided walking tour, on the 8th of November.  As you enter the Japanese Village Plaza, you see this very tall Jagura Tower, a replica of a fire lookout tower in rural Japan.

This is a statue of Sontoko (Kinjiro) Ninomiya by Junichiro Hannyo installed in 1983.  “Ninomiya’s ingenuity and sense of community embodied the Issei (1st generation) pioneer spirit.”

As I leisurely walk around watching the street lights not to be cited for jay walking, I was searching for the pavement where the history of Little Tokyo is engraved.  I wondered if this purple tiled cross walk could be it!

The James Irvine Japanese Garden, was constructed in 1980, and after undergoing 2 years of renovation, was officially dedicated on November 8th.  In Japanese it is called  Seiryu-en which means  “Garden of the Clear Stream”.

There are three bridges zigzaging the stream, and yonder is just one of them.

The camillias are blooming with its radiant red colors.

One of the most modern renovation to the garden is the eco-friendly engineering. The irrigation system was  designed with a low water-use  and to recycle stream water.  In addition solar powered lights were also  installed along the footpath.   The garden is, in every sense of the word, “green”.

A celebration  is not  complete without the Ikebana display, a flower arrangement with blooming chrysanthemums.  And music, too.

This musical instrument called  koto,  is a 6 foot long shallow resonating box (made from Paulownia wood) has a set of thirteen strings stretched over movable ivory bridges. It creates a harp-like instrument which is traditionally played at floor level by a kneeling musician. The tsume (plectra) is attached to three fingers and strums and plucks the strings.

The shakuhachi is Japan’s vertical bamboo flute.  It has five finger holes, four in front and one at the back. It is an ancient versatile instrument.   It also has a unique contemporary appeal.

Tea and cake was served.  Although I had lunch before I left home, I did not intend to stop by for some food. This caught my eye when I was in Little Tokyo’s restaurant row. Pinkberry in  a different color!

Enjoy everyone and have a pleasant week! Better yet, if you want to see the world, just click here and join us!