Hair saron?

And what's "Landy's"?

Ready for the oya stone lightup - 夢あかりフェスタまであと一週間

Peace and safety - 平和（観音）と安全（ベンツ）

Hungry for gyoza - 餃子はよ食いてぇー

Bridge in Nasukarasuyama - 烏山大橋

At the zoo - 動物園にて

so that's how getting stuck in a New York subway turnstile feels like!

If you like rural... - 田舎が好きなら...

Nasukarasuyama (那須烏山):

Rinnoji at night - 夜のライトアップされた輪王寺

Whatchu looking at? huh?

In front of Parco department store - パルコ前

where the original Futara shrine used to be in the 16th century.

Ice-man

Parking lot shrine - 有料駐車場に祀られた神社祠

Hello kitty crepes

Young and old - photo challenge

seen at Miya Matsuri 2009.

Field trip to Yasukuni shrine on August 15th - 終戦記念日、靖国神社への 遠足

Yep, Tochigi Daily went to Tokyo to visit Yasukuni jinja. Full story here.

It's all reenactment, he's way too young to be an actual WW2 soldier.

A very serious patriot.

Playing WW2 dressup.

Because we love cats

Cat cafe "Felis" once again:

Another satisfied customer.

The story is here.

Cat cafe "Felis"

Yeah, a cat cafe.

The story is here.

International Psycho Market?

Yep, we have that too:

The Happiness Realization Party - 幸福実現党党首近況

but the baby doesn't look very happy:

Everybody and their dog - イヌも一緒に全員集合

were downtown:

Miya Matsuri - the hairstyle version - 髪型で見る宮祭り

Jean-Luc Picard would be proud:



Duran Duran would be proud:



yep, the 80s are still in style:



punk is still in style too:



next time I want a pink mohawk, OK Ma?



oh-so-stylish:



I'm more stylish than she is:

Miya Matsuri yet again

Gone fishing

Well, almost:

Nomming at Miya Matsuri 2009 - 宮まつり０９ - 食むっ

NOM NOM NOM:



nomming soup in the middle of the sidewalk:



fat gaijin lady wants your ice cream:



international NOMs:

(that kebab was actually pretty decent)

more international NOMs (yep, we haz thems too):



mikoshi girls enjoying their NOMs:



for those on a diet, we had fake NOMs:



it was a perfect day for a cool NOM NOM NOM:

Utsunomiya Pride

Unfortunately, it's not the kind of rainbow pride parade we know in the West.

but that doesn't stop us from feeling proud anyway.

seen at the Miya festival 2009

Miya festival - 宮まつり

no worries, there will be more photos...

Fireworks in Ashikaga - わたらせサマーフェスタ、足利花火大会

Masses walking from the train station:

The fireworks themselves were kind of lame (and oh yeah, it was raining, too):

And more:

And two hours of it:

and more:

Empty

riding the bus home: