The Photography of Dr. Jeff Harper

It was fun to walk around Japan in mid-April with a camera in my hand. The weather was alternately wet and dreary and then bright and cheery.  We went on several day trips out of Fukuoka into the mountains.  We never passed up an opportunity to visit a flower garden.  It was that time of year. Flowers were blooming. It was early Spring.  Cool Spring is such a novelty to somebody like me who lives in the damp, hot tropical city of Bangkok.

In the mists of a Japanese Spring . . . and Time,

The steady mist settled upon the pink petals,

White and yellow flowers defying the wet with their unyielding cheer,

An umbrella for a mosquito.

A welcoming inn on a damp day.

Saki house recommendations.

What to take home?

To travel, to look about, to see someone in an instant.  A life passes at 70kph before a shutter.  Click.

Dried red puffs adorn a shop wall.

Small town charm in Japan.

Small, tasty, expensive specialty cakes can be found all over Japan.  Yum-yum!

The Japanese love of nature is brought into the life of towns and cities in wonderful ways.

Japan is a very beautiful country - especially in April! Many photos to follow . . . . when I have time.

Wonderful flower farm near Mt. Aso.  The tulips were ready to burst.

Out on the island flower garden . . . more natural beauty.

As if yellow had never been seen before!

A tiny, fleeting world.

Serene early Japanese Spring.

Soup cooked in paper over a live flame.

Nature.

Japanese aesthetics; always a scene.

Kenji, go arrange the peppers.  Ok, I will.

Secret rendezvous.

These strange idols can be seen all over the country and in the homes. (Uploaded from my iPhone)

We had a nice day with a bus tour around all the volcanic region east of Fukuoka (Mt. Aso) - and topped it off with a long soak in the onsen (hot tub). Next was a wonderful meal at our Yufuin B&B.

The countryside around Fukuoka is very wooded and rugged.  It was a nice change to be back in nature after the cities of bangkok and Fukuoka.

People in Japan were very helpful, and we found English-speakers when we needed to figure out what to do (like suburban train stations!).

Overall the food was great, although it must be said that the food is the same wherever you go: order tempura in one place and you get identical tempura in the next place!

(Uploaded from my iPhone to SquareSpace.)

Day One:  I am currently on vacation in and around Fukuoka, Japan. The food has been great! Squid sashimi doesn't get any fresher than this: it was still wiggling on the plate . . . and looking at you. (iPhone upload to SquareSpace)