A Water Sculpture

We found this sculpture in the main street of Okinawa, just outside the main shopping strip. We were to wait near here for our bus ride back to the Diamond Princess.

Taking on the form of a fountain, we think it was some kind of memorial.

I found the artwork interesting, finding tree shapes and leaves in amongst the cut metal.

Garden Artwork

Another pic taken from our cabin balcony. This one is the artwork that was at the entrance to the green space of yesterday. If we look close there are signs at the sides of each artwork that would tell us what they were. In hindsight maybe we should have gone for a walk on shore. At least then I might have known what this garden was all about. Though we did have a very restful day, something that we both needed.

Garden Art Pt 3

This is the Koshin Stone Monument, and according to the sign beside it, is believed to have been made in 1659.

The garden of the Chinzanso Hotel is full of historical artifacts from all over Japan.

Garden Art Pt 2

A close up of one of the stone statues in the garden of the Chinzanso Hotel. There were twenty of them all scattered around the garden.

Garden Art

Part of the "Stone Statues of Rakan", these little fellows were found in the garden as we walked through the grounds of the Chinzanso Hotel for lunch. There are 20 of them in all, created by Jakuchu Ito in the 1600's. Originally they were in Seikhoji Temple in Kyoto, and were deliverd to this location in Tokyo in 1925.

The Messenger

The fox, known as "kitsune", is believed to be the messenger of Inari, the God of rice. There are quite a number of these foxes throughout the Shrine complex. Often seen in pairs, they guard most of the shrine entrances.

Garden Art

This mean looking fellow was found in the garden just outside the main hall in the Tenryu-ji Temple. There was a group of them, all in a row, all slightly different. This one was undamaged. I think he may be representing the Water Dragon, which is supposed to protect the buildings from fire.