These pictures were taken durring the snow storm we had about a week and a half ago. I woke up and realized that I had to adventure out into the cold and document this rarity in Hirakata. The day was filled with snowmen, snowball fights, and families enjoying the snow together. I say families because I was surprised at the ammount of adults enjoying the snow with their children.
Where I live in snowy New England parent can almost never be seen taking part in their child's snow fun. Perhaps it is the fact that a Japanese parent must keep a close eye on their child making a tiny snowmen on the side of the narrow street, or just them enjoying a decent snow fall with their child. This makes me draw comparrisons between Japanese family values and American. This introduces my first picture: Mother, Father, and Child. All of them collaborating to build a snowman.
The next interesting neighborhood item I have to offer is a house of plants. In Japans crowded lifestyle their is little room for non-necessities. However this does not stop one with a passion for plants. Here we have one of many plant houses in my neighborhood, its lack of interior space has required the exterior to be utilized. This however creates an unfavorable condition for the plants. Out side it is botanical Darwinism, only the strong will survive the winter season. Here is a perfect example of one of natures tests.
1 comment:
In describing your neighborhood you focus on people (families) and plants. I'd like to know more details about your photo, specifically what day you took it on. Was it a weekend when parents were home from work? I think your idea about adults wanting to play in the snow is valid as we haven't had this kind of snow in the area for several years. Many of my friends sent me keitai photos of snowman and winter scenes.
Maybe I am not seeing the details of the photos, but the plants I do see are trees, bushes - all outdoor plants. Are there others? There is much literature about the Japanese idea of nature, that is they do not necessarily see a large distinction between nature and society. Thus humans are free to manipulate nature and cram it into their tiny urban spaces.
The two ideas you introduce are interesting and I would like to read more on them. But in the end I wonder if you lost focus on your theme for the week, that is, your neighborhood. How do your two subjects, and the photos, describe your neighborhood?
-scf
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