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Patterns Essay { 41 images } Created 15 May 2014

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  • View of Shenzhen docking at Harumi Pier in Tokyo.<br />
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This is the Chinese warship Shenzhen, a missile destroyer that arrived Japan on Nov. 28, 2007, docking at Tokyo’s Harumi Pier. This was the first time in the post World War II era that a Chinese warship ever visited Japan. I was also the first time the China's People's Liberation Army ever visited Japan. A similar visit was scheduled for May 2002 but was canceled due to then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visiting Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine where 14 WW II Class A war criminals are enshrined. But now that Japan’s new Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has vowed to not visit the shrine while in office, relations seem to be improving between the two countries. Even so, Japan is still concerned about China’s military buildup which China says is for peaceful purposes. The Shenzhen was escorted into port by a Japanese destroyer and was greeted by Admiral Eiji Yoshikawa, the chief of staff for Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF). Yoshikawa welcomed Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, the commander of the destroyer, as well as a crowd of Chinese well wishers bused in by the Chinese consulate. During the Shenzhen’s four day stay in Japan the ship will be open to the public, while its crew of 345 will visit Japanese naval bases, military academies, and participate in sporting events. Officers will also pay visits to Japan’s Defense and Foreign Ministries. The home base of the Shenzhen is the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang. A reciprocal visit by the Japanese MSDF is in the works for an unannounced date.
    Chinese Navy Tokyo
  • The cove at La Jolla, California.
    La Jolla California
  • Street crossing at the intersection just in front of  the South Exit of  Tokyo's Shinjuku Station.
    Shinjuku crossing intersection
  • Lunchtime in the business district of Yaesu, as seen reflected off the stock quotation board window of Wako Securities Co. Ltd., Tokyo, 1999.<br />
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© Torin Boyd 2003
    Yaesu Tokyo trading board
  • Pilgrims on Buddha's birthday at Ishite Temple in Matsuyama, Japan. Part of the the pilgrim circuit of 88 temples in Shikoku Island.
    Buddha's birthday Shikoku
  • Escalator at the South Exit (Minamiguchi) of Shinjuku Station.
    Shinjuku Station South Exit
  • Festival of the Ages (Jida Matsuri) in Tokyo"s Asakusa district in commemoration of 400th anniversary of Tokyo
    Festival of Ages Tokyo
  • August 21, 2001 - Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan: a technician cleans the photomultiplier tubes in the Super-Kamiokande during an annual cleaning. The full name of this facility is the “Super-Kamioka Neutrino Detection Experiment”, also known as Super-K or SK. This is a neutrino observatory located in the Mozumi Mine under Mount Kamioka near the city of Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is  designed to search for proton decay, study solar and atmospheric neutrinos, and keep watch for supernovae in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is located 1,000 m (3,300 ft) underground and consists of a cylindrical stainless steel tank that is 41.4 m (136 ft) tall and 39.3 m (129 ft) in diameter holding 50,000 tons of ultra-pure water. Mounted on the superstructure are over 11,000 photomultiplier tubes that costs $3000 each, and need cleaned once a year (Torin Boyd/Polaris).
    Super Kamikande observatory Gifu
  • This is the Suntory Museum of Art which opened in March 2007. It is located at Tokyo Midtown, a building complex that also opened in March ‘07 in the Roppongi district of Tokyo (built on the site of a former Japan Self Defense Force base). The architect of this museum is Kengo Kuma of "Kengo Kuma & Associates", Tokyo. This museum will house the art collection built and owned by Suntory Ltd. Their first show which opens on March 30, 2007 is entitled “Iwai: Arts of Celebration” which is a collection of Japanese paintings, textiles, ceramics, glass and lacquer ware dating from the 13th to 19th centuries. Photo by Torin Boyd. March 26, 2007.
    Suntory Museum Tokyo
  • Japan Self Defense Forces parade
  • Nissan automobiles, bound for the USA, just before being loaded onto a freighter at Oppama, Japan.
    Nissan docks in Oppama
  • Herringbone pattern at the plaza in front of Shinjuku Station's South Exit.
    Shinjuku South Exit plaza
  • Women's prison Wakayama
  • Fishermen tend to their nets in Kuala Besut, a small fishing town in the Besut District on the coast of Terengganu in Malaysia
    Malaysia fishing village
  • This is a view of the business district of Marunouchi in the center of Tokyo. Photo taken around lunchtime when many workers were milling about. . March 14, 2007. Photographer: Torin Boyd
    Marunouchi rush hour Tokyo
  • Feb. 2012: Plaza area of The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, during Ben Shahn exhibition. Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Ñ at Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
    Art Museum Hayama Japan
  • Refelction of pedestrians at Takashimaya Times Square adjacent to Shinjuku Station. In the background are  train tracks.
    Takashimaya Times Square Tokyo
  • Contemplation Tokyo
  • July 29, 2003, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan: Photo taken: July 24, 2003<br />
Photo by: Torin Boyd<br />
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Photo shows boys dressed in samurai armor costumes, loading flags and banners into a truck at the end of the days festivities.<br />
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Further info:<br />
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In Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture, there has been a festival taking place for over a thousand years that celebrates a wild horse chase. Called the Soma Noma Oi, this festival is held in late July, and takes place in the cities of Soma and Haramachi. It is considered one of Japan’s foremost festivals. <br />
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During the four day event, over six hundred riders and horses take part in series of events that pays tribute to samurai equestrian arts. Originated during the Heian Period (769 - 1185), this local culture began when warriors of the Soma clan began herding wild horses as military training, in preparation for war. Nowadays, this festival is held in order to preserve the traditional and cultural aspects of this martial art.<br />
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Photo shows the second day of the festival which took place in Haramachi, where races were held, as well as the main event, the contest of the sacred banner. During this event riders in full armor regalia with ancestral flagstaffs jockey to catch one of forty banners fired individually into the air by fireworks. This event resembles a battle during the old warring states period of Japan. When the banner falls to the ground, hundreds of riders scramble to catch it. Upon catching the banner, the victorious rider gallops his horse to a shrine situated above the riding grounds to receive a blessing.<br />
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Prior to the sporting events, the riders parade through the city of Haramachi where spectators cheer them on.<br />
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. Credit: Torin Boyd / Polaris
    Soma Noma Oi equestrian Fest.
  • This is the annual Mitama Festival held at the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. During this four day festival held in mid July more than 29,000 paper lanterns adorn the grounds of the shrine. These lanterns are dedicated to the nearly 2.5 million war dead who are enshrined at Yasakuni, which include thirteen World War II class A war criminals. Mitama litterally means “dead soul” in Japanese.
    Mitama Festival Tokyo
  • In Japan, there are close to 600,000 ethnic and Korean nationals living in the country, making up the second largest ethnic minority in Japan (Chinese are no. 1). The majority of these Koreans are known as Zainichi, who are permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan. The Zainichi are descendants of Korean migrants or conscripted laborers who came to Japan between 1910, when Korea was annexed by Japan, up until the end of World War II. Later, when the Korean War broke out this caused a divide within the Zainichi community due to politics and ideology. Also, throughout the post WW II era, due to immigration laws, it became an arduous process for Zainichi Koreans to become Japanese citizenship. Things have changed now, but even so, many Zainichi choose not to become Japanese citizens as this requires them to relinquish their Korean citizenship (as well as ethnic identity). As a result, the majority of Zainichi are affiliated with Chongryon, the pro North Korean organization which operates Korean schools and businesses and discourages it’s members from obtaining Japanese citizenship and marrying Japanese nationals. Chongryon also promotes North Korean ideology and is the de facto embassy in Japan for the Pyongyang based government. This photo shows Zainichi football fans who came out during a typhoon to cheer on the North Korean National football team playing against Japan for a 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifying match. This took place on September 2, 2011 at Saitama Stadium 2002, in Saitama City outside Tokyo. Japan won the match 1-0 during extra injury time in the second half. This qualified Japan to compete in the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
    North Korean soccer fans
  • Edo Castle walls Tokyo
  • On the 68th anniversary of the end of World War II (August 15, 2013), tens of thousands came to pay their respects for Japan’s war dead at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, the national Shinto shrine where nearly 2.5 million war dead from the past 150 years are enshrined. This includes fourteen World War II class A war criminals who are enshrined here, the cause of controversy due to Japanese politicians who continue to pay their respects here. This included visits on this day Diet members (Parliamentarians), and cabinet members of the current administration of Shinzo Abe. Others who made their pilgrimage here included the dwindling numbers of Japanese World War II veterans,  family members, ultra nationalists and military buffs dressed in period costumes.
    Yasukini Shrine politicians
  • Takashimaya Times Square seen from the South Exit of Tokyo's Shinjuku Station.
    Shinjuku Station South exit area
  • A promotional billboard for Chanel towers over the Sukiyabashi intersection, located in Tokyo’s premier shopping district of the Ginza (this billboard is attacted to the Sony Bldg.).
    Sony Bldg. Tokyo
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