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Akashi Bridge
The Akashi-Kaiky Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, has the longest central span of any suspension bridge, at 1,991 meters (6,532 ft). It is located in Japan and was completed in 1998.The bridge links the city of Kobe on the mainland of Honshu to Iwaya on Awaji Island by crossing the busy Akashi Strait. It carries part of the Honshu-Shikoku Highway.
The bridge is one of the key links of the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Project, which created three routes across the Inland Sea.
Source: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashi_Kaiky%C5%8D_Bridge
Ashiya and the Summer Fireworks Festival
Due to the large number of celebrities living within the city limits, Ashiya is known as the Beverly Hills of Japan. Persons of note associated with Ashiya include Jiro Shirasu (“the man who reproached MacArthur”), Ryoji Noyori (Nobel prize winner), Takashi Asahina (conductor), Chitaru Asahina (conductor), Jun’ichiro Tanizaki (writer), Haruki Murakami (writer), Atsuko Suga (writer/scholar of Italian literature), Yuriko Koike (House of Representatives member), Yoko Ogawa (writer), Hiroko Koshino (fashion designer) and Tsumasaburo Band? (kabuki actor).
A house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright sits on a hill overlooking Hankyu Ashiyagawa Station and Osaka Bay. It was completed in 1924 as a residence for the Yamamura family, founders of the famous sake company “Sakuramasamune” . It is now known as the Yodoko Guest House and is open for tours. Ashiya also features the house of Hiroko Koshino designed by pritzker prize winning architect Tadao Ando.
As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 93,094 and the density of 5,030 persons per km². The total area is 18.47 km². The average household income in Ashiya is the highest of any city in Japan based on annual income tax reports.
Source: wikipedia.
Ashiya's streets
Tiny room for a Porsche
Fancy coffee shop
Ashiya's street
On the way to the fireworks
On the way to the fireworks
On the way to the fireworks
Order
Yukatas for summer festival in Japan is a must
People everywhere
Fireworks started
Boom!
Everyone holding cameras!
Ashiya fireworks!
Ashiya fireworks!
Festival over and time to go back home
Returning home
By bus or walking
Order II
Order III
The first minutes of 2011
Some pictures of how I lived the beginning of 2011 in Japan, by the way one of the first country to celebrate 2011.
24:05, already 2011!
People hanging out infront of Tokyu Hands, Sannomiya waiting to go to the temple
More people waiting, lot of them!
Making line to pray at Ikuta Shinja Shrine
And could not miss here the Japanese organization
Ikuta Jinja Shrine
Praying
Here is where the people throw money to the fate of the coming new year
some others have to work…
Playing Taiko
Just some other photos in Kobe
I leave here some other pictures I took on my walk through the beautiful city of Kobe, as you may have noticed Kobe is very special to me.
This one is great!
European stylish
Lamborghini
Kobe by night
Sometimes is much better at night.
The night I spent in Kobe will also perform annual event “Luminaria “. I did’t go to see it this time, but walking the streets I saw the crowd in the streets waiting in ranks with the police who were in charge of directing the human traffic.
The Japanese are very organized when it comes to mass events, although sometimes a bit noisy when using megaphones. But I guarantee that you will not see stampedes and stuff like that happened in the “Love Parade”, not to mention the police in general are very friendly.
Policeman doing his job at "Luminarie"
Trip to Kobe
Last weekend I went again to kobe. Kobe is special for me since is the place where I lived during my studies in Japan, my first period here made this place like my native land in japan.
I dont know why but the people, the building, the whole atmosphere of the place is different than other places I have visited in Japan.
Well I don t want you bother with my talks, better to enjoy it with images.
Corner of Sogo, heart of Sannomiya
Mint Kobe Builiding on the left side
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