At the end of the year

I visited Van Gogh Exhibition at the Kobe City Museum late November.

"Cafe Terrace at Night" (1888) is my favorite of Van Gogh's masterpieces.

The contrast of the deep blues of the starry night sky and the warm, yellow light of the cafe's gaslight 

is said to be Van Goch's innovative night scene without using black colors.

(Photography was allowed for five pieces of art while it was prohibited throughout the exhibition.)

The composition of the Ukiyo-e print "Night View of Saruwaka Town" by 歌川重弘 Shigehiro Utagawa
evokes connection to Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace at Night".
The indigo sky with the bright full moon and the moonlit main street of the town 
which is depicted with clear perspective lines vanishing into distance
are thought to have influenced Van Gogh, a big fan and collector of Ukiyo-e.

Saruwaka Town was a theater district of Edo, the former name of Tokyo.

As the last show of the day is over, people are streaming out from the theaters into 

the moonlit street.

Image from this site

I turned my photos of café terrace at night into watercolor paintings with an app.

Outdoor seats remain vacant in the cold weather.

Inside the Grand Front Osaka, the Winter Prism Tree stands 11 meters tall 
beneath a 70-meter “veil of light” inspired by the northern lights. 

Every 15 minutes, the space shines in a colorful light  with shifting hues.

I prefer starry night sky as I am reminded that I'm a part of that awe-inspring universe

when staring into the indigo sky,

In the colder and darker time of mid-December, however, I  like city streets with light-ups.

Ginkgo trees are illuminated from Umeda to Namba, 4.4 km of Midosuji Boulevard. 

At 5:00 p.m. all the lights are lit up.

As is called "Midosuji Sculpture Street", 29 sculptures by renowned artists like Auguste Rodin 

are displayed on the sidewalks around Yodoya-bashi.

Any bronze artwork hasn't been damaged or stolen on that busy places so far - it's so Japanese.

It feels like time is speeding up with the year-end approaching so quickly.

2023 post about Mido-suji Illumination 

Night scenes from Sannomiya, Kobe and Umeda, Osaka.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Autumn magic from Nara Park, 2025

Nara Park's autumn magic comes from its diverse trees which create vibrant tapestries of red, orange, 

and yellow leaves and freely roaming deer in the backdrop of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

(Photos were taken between the 14th and the 28th of November.)

南京櫨 Nankinhaze, Chinese Tallow Tree

Chinese Tallow leaves are eye-catching along the banks of Araike Reservoir.

The slopes of Mount Wakakusa look reddish because of young Chinese Tallow trees.

椛 Momiji, or Japanese Maples

Mizuyachaya, a small, charming teahouse, is at the back entrance of Kasugataisha Shrine.

Momiji, or Japanese Maples, are rapidly turning to the shades of red.

Kasugayama Mountain Trail runs through Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest, which is behind Kasugataisha Shrine.

The forest has remained virtually untouched because of prohibited hunting and logging since 841. 

I gave up walking it through because of the news that a bear was spotted near the trail recently.

Leaf-framed Shibi of Todaiji Main Hall

The stunning fiery reds of Japanese Maples and the reflected vibrant colors in the glass of a window

in the garden of Iraka.

The painterly reflection of Japanese Maples on the pond surface distorted by ripples

Bathed in the late afternoon sun, Japanese Maples get ablaze.

銀杏 Icho, Ginkgo Tree

A deer and brilliant yellow fan-shaped Ginkgo leaves.

桜 Sakura, Cherry Tree

Autumn leaves of Sakura trees has a specila name "Sakura Momiji".

Momiji has two meanings; one is Japanese Maples and the other is colored leaves and grasses.

At Chayam-enchi, which do you like better, pink Sakura or reddish brown or orange Sakura Momiji?

A nature's wooden sculpture that looks like a resting animal and real deer.

It will be fine tomorrow.

BTW, my son completed Kobe Full Marathon again this year

with much better record than the last year's.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Saturday's Critters

Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai - The last World Expo I visited in my life

Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai held at Yumeshima Island was closed on the 13th of October.

Japan's first World Expo was also held in Osaka in 1970 when I was a college student.

I hadn't imagined two World  Expos in Osaka in my lifetime.

On both occasion, I enjoyed exploring unique national cultural heritage of each country 

and future technologies. 

This time I especially enjoyed walking around the immense two-tiered circular walkway 

of the Grand Ring which symbolizes “Unity in Diversity.”

The Grand Ring at night from here

(More about the Grand Ring is in my June post A glimpse into Expo 2025.)

Myaku-Myaku is the mascot for Expo 2025 Osaka. 

The Japanese word "脈 myaku"  means pulse. The repetition of "myaku" represents

 the continuous flow of life and knowledge from generation to generation.  

The highlight of my second visit to Expo 2025 was the  several world-class masterpieces 

at the Italy Pavillion.

Italian mascot and bee hive

Just looking at the fantastic, unique, or experimental architecture was fun.

The exterior of NullNull Pavilion composed of mirror-like materials constantly transform 

while reflecting the surroundings and visitors.

BTW, the first female Prime Minister was born in Japan where gender equality index 

has been very low.

Sanae Takaichi is a self-made politician, not a hereditary one, with strength, humility, and flexibility.

She is highly competent, insightful, and has made tremendous efforts for policy-making

as is called "a walking encyclopedia of government policies."

I'd like to correct some of the misleading overseas media reports about her from my point of view.

She is taking the right position for Japan's tradition and geo-political situation.

This is a puzzling point that some female liberals who have been advocating diversity 

and female empowerment started criticizing her. 

Takaichi shows sincere global considerations while she is committed to preserving

 cultural uniqueness and distinctiveness of the nation as a staunch concervative.

What's needed in politicians is whether they can do their job to make results 

for the good of the nation.

I hope she'll  turn people's anxieties about their present and future into hope 

and tackle with the rising prices to build a strong economy.

What will be our judgement in the next election?

Back to the talk of World Expo, I wrote my thoughts on the Expo 1970 Osaka

 in the 2018 post  "Progress and Harmony for Mankind"

I have a question for you.

What is the thing closely related to your everyday life that has progressed most

 in nearly half a century?

I think of two things.

1. At the Expo '70, TOTO featured "Washlet," an early version of the Japanese toilet with integrated  bidet functions and heating.  Now high-tech toilet is a standard fixture in Japanese homes and at public facilities.

2. "Dream Telephone" exhibited at the NTT Pavilion was a revolutionary wireless device, which led us into this amazingly connected world.  It developed in the process  from carphones to the first generation of mobile phones and to the present smartphones.

Linked to Mosaic Monday