Each time I visit Japan, I’m struck by the beauty that can be found in the various shrines.  Even in the center of a major city like Tokyo, you can find these peaceful spots where the natural and spiritual worlds are said to meet.  A common aspect of these shrines – at least the ones I have visited – is some sort of repetitive architectural feature, which serves to guide the visitor onward along their journey.  Another are the torii gates, which designate the boundary between the ordinary world and a sacred place.  Each of these elements are icons of the Shinto religion, and to me are symbols of Japan itself.  Show me a torii gate, and I’ll think about Japan.

To wrap up my 2025 series on Japan, I wanted to end with images of these places, which I hope capture their essence.  You’ll notice some have unnatural looking colors, which are simply different types of infrared images.  Finally, at the very bottom, you’ll find the post card shot that I mentioned in the very first post in this series.

Next week I’ll be kicking of a new night series, which I’m very excited about.  These will be images I captured during my time in California in the spring.  I hope you’ll join me!

–Dan Thompson