Archive for 'Photoblogging'
Akihabara: 5pm on Sunday
I left Tsukuba for the weekend and on the way back I snapped a picture of the scene outside Akihabara station at (a hair past) 5pm.
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on January 21st, 2007 under Photoblogging.
Comments: none
Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Jing Villareal came to Tsukuba two months ago with his wife and daughter. He has most generously offered to share some of the photos and videos that he has taken since he arrived here.
Photos by Jing Villareal
Videos by Jing Villareal
Jing also supplied the new header for the blog, a photo of flaming leaves in Doho Park. Thank you, Jing!
If anyone else would like to have us showcase their Tsukuba-related photos or video (or art, or anything else), please contact us!
- Nov 18, 2008: Tsukuba's Sweetgums Ablaze
- Nov 9, 2008: Kaki is the Color (and Flavor) of Fall in Rural Japan
- Nov 2, 2008: Tsukuba's Smokey Autumn Air - The Gomi Moshi Problem
- Oct 25, 2008: TsukuPod: A Podcast about Life in Tsukuba
- Oct 17, 2008: Still More Fall Foraging In Tsukuba -- Akebi
Posted by Shaney on December 16th, 2007 under Life In Tsukuba, Photoblogging.
Comments: none
Guess what this is
Guess what and where this is.
No, this isn’t just a typical murky pond in Japan.
Can you guess what that black stuff that’s floating in the pond is?
Nope, not rotten leaves or twigs.
There were thousands of them, and they were swimming like a school of fish! This pond is located inside the Tsukuba Botanical Garden, and the pics were taken last weekend.
- Nov 21, 2008: Zakuro (Pomegranates) and The Goddess of Fertility and Easy Delivery - Kishibojin
- Oct 17, 2008: Still More Fall Foraging In Tsukuba -- Akebi
- Sep 8, 2008: Lots o' Lotus!
- Aug 7, 2008: Sarusuberi, not Salisbury, Adds Longlasting Color to Tsukuba's Dog Days
- Jul 16, 2008: A Gathering Of Blues
Posted by RrFish on May 2nd, 2007 under Gardens, Photoblogging.
Comments: none
Here’s the Kitty
I posted a piece titled “Hello Kitty-shaped vending machine in Moriya” in April, and I finally got a chance to take a picture last week.
Sorry, it was dark and I was in a hurry! Besides, I took this photopgraph from my cell-phone, so the image quality is not that good to begin with.
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by RrFish on May 12th, 2007 under Photoblogging.
Comments: none
Long Way From Home
I just came back from a trip to Africa. I had a wonderful time and met lots of interesting people. One thing that I thought was interesting was that there were many cars in Africa that had clearly been imported used from Japan. I guess that Japanese people (and businesses) tend to get rid of their cars after owning them for about ten years because the shaken (compulsory inspection) gets more and more expensive as the car ages. However, the cars are usually still in reasonable shape after that amount of time and, with a few tune-ups, can still look forward to a few more years on the road. With regular cars, it is impossible to tell whether they were imported from Japan used or whether they were bought from a Japanese dealer in Africa. With business cars, though, it is rather easy to tell as the name of the business is rarely erased from the side of the car.

I saw all kinds of trucks that had Japanese writing on the side — trucks that used to belong to nursery schools, nursing homes, swimming schools, etc. I was very surprised, however, to happen upon a truck that belonged to a company in Tsukuba (Interior Igarashi) while I was in Zambia. I am tempted to call up this company to let them know about the free advertising they are getting in southern Africa!
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on July 31st, 2007 under Photoblogging.
Comments: 4
Mt. Fuji, Seen from Tsukuba

Tsukuba Sunset, Mt. Fuji
Originally uploaded by dimaks.
Sajid is the first to take me up on my request to send photos to share with the Tsukuba community. Here is one of his photos showing a gorgeous sunset with Mt. Fuji just visible in the background. Click the photo (or this link) to see a bigger image.
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on March 2nd, 2007 under Photoblogging.
Comments: 3
Photos from Mt. Tsukuba
Related Posts- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on March 13th, 2007 under Photoblogging.
Comments: none
Photos from Yamanashi
Sharing some photos I took during our summer seminar in Yamanakako, Yamanashi, Japan on August 7-10, 2007.
- Nov 6, 2008: History Rewrites Itself...
- Oct 1, 2008: Tsuchiura Fireworks Festival 2008
- Sep 24, 2008: Fruit Picking and Mysterious Rock Carvings Near Tsukuba (Chiyoda Town)
- Sep 18, 2008: Vegetable Ice Cream: Worth Driving Out For!
- Sep 14, 2008: Solemn OPEN HOUSE Event at the Old Nogi Residence
Posted by dimaks on August 20th, 2007 under Outside Tsukuba, Photoblogging, Tourism.
Comments: none
Photos of Tsukuba University by Mori
I think this collection by Mori gives a good sense of what the University of Tsukuba campus looks like.
- Nov 15, 2008: Plenty of BLUE BLOOD passing through Tsukuba's Main Arteries
- Nov 8, 2008: AgESD Symposium 2008
- Oct 29, 2008: Annual Memorial Service (Ireisai) For Animals Sacrificed At Medical School
- Oct 13, 2008: Glorious Weather For Sports Day and University Festival 2008
- Aug 26, 2008: City Chat Cafe - Let's meet at LALA Garden
Posted by Shaney on March 11th, 2007 under Photoblogging, University of Tsukuba.
Comments: none
Pigeons
I live in Ichinoya Minami Dormitory and as such, have to dwell with its inhabitants: a full mixture of Japanese, Brazilians, Americans, Chinese, Koreans, Latinos, Africans and… pigeons!!!
Everybody hates the pigeons!!!
If we leave the kitchen windows open, it is not unlikely to find some of those creatures wandering over the table, eyes wide open, leaving feathers and other unwanted detritus everywhere.
They wake us up too, and this happens overly often and overly early!
Last summer I was facing my own hell as a first year graduate student at Tsukuba, which translates as staying awake all night, trying to understand gruesome equations and finish unsolvable “shukudais”.
As some of you might have noticed, summer in Tsukuba is too hot and full of bugs.
If I was to study in my room, I had to face the following trade-off: I could let the window open, to withstand the heat, but the bugs would eat me alive when I went to sleep. Alternatively, I could leave the room inaccessible to the bugs by closing the window and work inside a sauna.
My choice, thus, often involved moving to the collective kitchen so that I could protect my room from bugs and leave the kitchen’s windows open.
By that time, there was nothing more irritating than to hear a couple of pigeons that decided to set their nest right in the kitchens chimney. Everyday, at around 4 a.m, when I was already exhausted and frustrated, they started to make noises!
And I know very well what was happening there!!!
The sounds were very easy to identify! Those pigeons were making love, having a good time, while I could not be more miserable!!!!
This summer, I found out that one pigeon has laid eggs on my veranda!
A friend of mine previously had the same experience. When I asked him whether this bothered him and what he was going to do, he replied:
“This is just like when your teenager daughter gets pregnant. You don’t like the situation a bit, you can be angry, complain, whatever, but in the end, you have to help!”
That pigeon, I thought, has more rights to the varanda than me. While I am a guest in this country, she is for sure a fully-blooded Japanese pigeon. She deserves that varanda more than I do!
Since then, I have been protecting the nest from the rain and trying not to make noise, so as not to disturb the mama pigeon!!!
- Nov 18, 2008: Tsukuba's Sweetgums Ablaze
- Nov 9, 2008: Kaki is the Color (and Flavor) of Fall in Rural Japan
- Nov 2, 2008: Tsukuba's Smokey Autumn Air - The Gomi Moshi Problem
- Oct 25, 2008: TsukuPod: A Podcast about Life in Tsukuba
- Oct 17, 2008: Still More Fall Foraging In Tsukuba -- Akebi
Posted by Renato Orozco on July 25th, 2006 under Life In Tsukuba, Photoblogging.
Comments: 3
Season’s Greetings
Merry Christmas from Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan!
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on December 25th, 2006 under Photoblogging.
Comments: none
summer pictures of Asakusa
I went to see the Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai (Sumida River Fireworks Festival) yesterday with some friends. It was really great! I’ve already made a metal note to choose a nicer spot to sit in next year. While my purpose was to watch the spectacular fireworks display, I couldn’t help but do some people watching as well. I hope you guys will like these pictures. cheers!
girls in yukatas waiting for their ice cream
modern day coolie trying to convince customers for a ride
couple sharing a smile while waiting for the fireworks display
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by herb on July 30th, 2006 under Photoblogging.
Comments: 2
summer woodstock
i just think that this is sooo… cool. i was riding my bicycle in the university one lonely day when i chanced upon this amateur rock band performing near the pond. there were only about 11 people (including myself) in the audience but the band gave it their all, sweating under the noonday heat and belting out song after song. i was just as impressed with the set-up which even had amps, and a sound control booth.
it was a nice break from the monotony of summer. (^__^)
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by herb on August 13th, 2006 under Photoblogging.
Comments: none
TsukuBlog Makeover
When our readers send in photos or links to their photo albums, we like to use those photos to decorate the blog. In February, we used a photo by Tim Boyle of the plum blossoms on Mt. Tsukuba.

This month, we are using an image provided by Sajid of Mt. Fuji as seen from Tsukuba.

If you have photos or photo albums of Tsukuba that you would like to contribute to the blog, please contact us.
- Sep 26, 2008: AT Server Down on Saturday
- Mar 8, 2008: TsukuBlog Maintenance
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on March 21st, 2007 under Photoblogging, Tsukublog.
Comments: 3
University of Tsukuba Today
The fall colours are quite dazzling today. Here is a picture from the University of Tsukuba campus.
I think the picture actually makes the campus look more impressive than it is.
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on November 24th, 2006 under Photoblogging.
Comments: 2
Where in Tsukuba?
I thought it might be fun to have a “Where in Tsukuba?” challenge on Tsukublog, but I think the photo that I want to use for the first challenge might be too hard.
Does anywhere know where this is in Tsukuba?
Also, if you have a photo that you would like to add as a “Where in Tsukuba?” challenge, or one that you would like to show the Tsukuba community, please forward it to one of our contributors.
- Dec 16, 2007: Documenting Autumn in Tsukuba
Posted by Shaney on December 18th, 2006 under Photoblogging, Where In Tsukuba.
Comments: none



