Me in front of a temple washing fountain in Namba (Osaka). People use these facilities to cleanse themselves before approaching the actual temple to pray. Communal cups on the end of long poles serve to draw running water for washing the hands and taken into the mouth because it is believed it will cleanse one from  with-in.
Ok! So this picture is little bit of a cheat. Well at least I used to look like this.

Kyoto Pix

One of my favorite movies;
Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla

In this one, the Japanese defense forces employ a GIANT mechanical counterpart to Godzilla to help defend Japan from the world's most famous lizard. This time, the reason Godzilla is upset is that Japanese scientists have taken one of her eggs back to Japan. Of course the egg hatches and the baby Godzilla calls for it's mother. All seems hopeless for mother and child until a timely appearance by a phoenix from Godzilla's home Island.

If you see one these movies on it's first run at a theater (always around Christmas time), you get little plastic Godzilla figurines. COOL!!!

As seen in many traditional gardens in Japan,
this pool is home to teaming numbers of Koi or
Ornamental Carp.
Large Koi have been known to fetch prices reaching into
the millions of yen by breeders and hobbyists.

I am standing in front of Osaka Jou (Castle).
It was rebuilt after WW II, and even has an elevator to the top.
The surrounding park is large and serves as a good place to escape from the "concreteness" of the city for a few hours.

You can have a good time there as, .... Japan is a safety country!!

If you want to see a REAL Japanese castle in it's original form, Head to the town of Himeji. The White Crane castle is possibly the best example of Castle architecture in Japan.

Yasaka Temple in Kyoto at sundown.

Waiting for one of the last trains of the night at Tennoji JR Station, tracks 17/18.