Random Photo – Clouds

Please forgive me for my totally random photo of today, it’s Friday and I’m really looking forward to a quiet weekend. I saw this pretty photogenic cloud while walking in Yokohama a couple of months ago. Isn’t it gorgeous, the sun just peeking out? Have a great weekend everyone!

Japan Coast Guard In Fog

Here’s the proud PC-16, or Patrol Boat Suzutsuki of the Japan Coast Guard coming in to port in Yokohama earlier this month. A very foggy day, the name of this vessel actually means “clear moon”, 涼月 in Japanese. She is an old ship, having been around since 1950 she was one of the first of the newly restored Coast Guard after the war, but still serving her country. Interestingly her main mission is not stealth, or she wouldn’t have been equipped with a rolling text signage board and huge loudspeakers. I saw so many wrecked coast guard vessels after the big tsunami in March, it feels good to see the ships that survived working hard!

More Yokohama Triennale – Art

More photos, and the last, from the rainy day I spent in Yokohama a couple of weeks ago, visiting the Yokohama Art Museum and the Yokohama Triennale. The exhibition itself was spread out over many different locations in and around the city and I only had time to visit the two biggest locales. I would have needed another day to take all of it in proprely, including the many performances by international and domestic art groups. One of the more impressive installations was this 20 ton heavy clay hippo, by the Franco-English duo Dewar & Gicquel. I also enjoyed the Fallen Forest by Swedish artist Henrik Håkansson, as well as a painting by Testuya Ishida called Manhunt. There were so many art installations scattered about it was sometimes hard to tell where the art stopped and the building began, but I got a few stern looks from the guards whenever I strayed to close to what I thought was a fixture or wall. Little did I know, in this brave new world of art! All in all, Yokohama maintains their status as the most happening city in Asia, in my humble opinion.

A Spot of Color

I saw this little girl in front of the Yokohama Art Museum, proving that you don’t really need fancy toys or fancy art to enjoy yourself. A few puddles was all it took to put a smile on her face! Her mother was trying to point out her soaked trouser legs but at that age – who cares? Oh, and her mother must have a fantastic sense of fashion!