The highway... that was left behind

　There was the village in the close bottom of the gorge.
　Though still noon, only here is already dusk.

　100 years ago, this post town was full of travelers.




　Most of the passersby do not walk this way.
　There are only the inns calmly.

　While waiting for a visitor without an expectation...




　A small light seems to be turned on.
　Time has passed. Most people will forget all.

　Memory may return to here again someday, by chance.


　The embers of an old prosperity. 　
　Here is Tsumago, Nagano Prefecture.


　The relations of this post, " The way of the Middle Ages, Nakasendō "
01.16.2010 i contributed it.

"Walk" Japanese calligraphy

　"歩" (ho, aruku). It is translated as walk, step.
　This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

　Etymology :　Compound ideograph
　止 (stop) + 少 (few)

　This character is a pair of the hieroglyphs of the right foot and the left foot.
　The state that both legs move in turn.

　As for the ancient people, the power of observation is sharp.

　The step of the history is slow.
　However, it will advance surely...

The Passion to the Snow Festival

　The snowy sculptures show the figure.
　The details are similar to a genuine article.

　They float in darkness.




　A feeling of the life.
　The animals seem to begin to move.

　The creation enthusiasm seems to inspire snow with the soul.




　The human will.
　The source of every creation.

　The spectators may admire it every year.


　Here is Sapporo, Hokkaidō.


　The relations of this post. "Ephemeral construction, snow festival" 　01.22.2010 i contributed it.

　Peaceful weekend for you and yours...
　From Far East, Japan.

"Shape" Japanese calligraphy

　"形" (kei, katachi). It is translated as form, shape, appearance.
　This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

　Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
　形 ⇒　井 (well)　+ 彡 (hair)

　Form, Shape, Appearance...

　They are one of the most important elements of the calligraphy.
　In the Orient, the calligraphy took a part of the art with literature, picture.

　The beauty of the form.
　The beauty of the inside.

The legendary snow-white village

　The villagers keep this life about 1000 long years.
　Great descendants...

　The loftiness of the human is maintained.




　A lot of steep mountains shut in them.
　The way such as the thread leads to the village.

　It may be good that don't look back on the course came.




　Quietness.
　There is the world without the noise.

　and the human origin.



Here is Shirakawa-gō ("White River Old-District"), Gifu Prefecture.

The relations of this post. "The legendary Old-District".　And
　　　　　　　　　　　"Four seasons Panorama of Shirakawa-go" , 01.25.2010　i contributed it.




　　　 　　　Please visit "Weekend reflections" kindly hosted by James to see many spectacular reflection.

"Home" Japanese calligraphy

　"家" (ka, or ie). It is translated as house, home.
　This character is written by Kanzi, Cursive_script.

　Etymology :　Ideogrammic compound
　　　宀 (roof) + 豕 (Pig)

　Not a human being, it feels interestingly that a meaning is a pig.


　We can return to there anytime.
　Yes. Anytime...

　There welcomes us.
　There is it nowhere, else.

　The sound of this heartwarming words.
　"HOME"

The Trace of Freedom

　Twin pieces. 　　Drift ice. 　
　From somewhere...

　Yes. The border is not necessary for them.




　They will leave immediately. 　　 Drift ice, too.
　There is nothing there anymore.

　So, go away somewhere... 　　　　　It's Freedom.




　The wake seems to be the illusional line.
　Seagull keeps himself above all the vulgarity around him.

　All will flow sometime soon... 　It's Fate.


　Here is Russian border, offing 2 n.m of Abashiri-shi, Hokkaidō.

　The relations of this post, "Drift Ice from sea of Okhotsk " 02.01.2010 i contributed it.

"Go away" Japanese calligraphy

　"去" (kyo, saru). It is translated as go away, leave, depart, etc.
　This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

　Excuse me.
　I cannot discover the etymology of this character...
　It may have gone away somewhere.

　In the lifetime, I often have had such experience.
　I will learn from all of your wide knowledge.

Thanks to you all and your works, sincerely

　　　"The Blue Planet Earth"

　　　A lot of friends gave me many encounters last year, too.
　　　With a lot of wonderful works...

　　　Those encounters presented deep emotion to me.

　　　Here is over Mount Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture.

　　　I thank to all friends who visited my pocket-size the Far East space.

　　　All your works are great.
　　　I respect them heartily, and was always impressed by them.

　　　Encounter with all of you is my pleasure.

　　　"Once-in-a-lifetime encounter"
　　　Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur...

　　　" 一　期　一　会 "
　　　ichi 　go 　ichi 　e


　　　I pray you and yours to peace.
　　　And, Peace of the earth.


　　　Happy New Year 2011 !!


　　　from the Far East, Japan
　　　ruma



I dedicate a lot of thanks to many Friends all over the world.
Heartwarming New Year greetings of all of you.

I am honored your encouragement.

01.06.2011
ruma

"Hope" Japanese calligraphy

"望" (bō, nozomi). It is translated as hope, look at, look forward, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
望 ⇒　目 (eye)　　+ 　 壬 (expand) 　 +　 亡 (lose)

The state that a person stretches his/her neck. 　
And in search of the thing which there is not.


The universe was nothing.
This earth, this Mt. Fuji. They were created from there.



Hope seems to lead all to the creation.
Yes. To the future filled with hope...