Coronavirus Couldn't Stop the Harvest Moon!

 5 Quick Photos

There's plenty to complain about these days, mostly politics and disease.

It's not good, sitting around the house moaning and groaning.  So, I get out and shoot the moon.

September 20 at 7 PM the moon was 97% full and bright golden in color.

The next morning I arise at 3 AM to check on the setting moon.

Several coffees later, I'm headed out the door.  That's the setting moon behind the house.

The photo was taken at 4:55 AM and I'm going down towards the beach.

It's 5:57 AM on the 21st of September when this photo was composed.

Standing on the seawall at Kin Port, I'm facing Ishikawa, Uruma, Okinawa, Japan.

The evening of the 21st it seemed like the moon would never appear.

Clouds rolled in and blocked out any chance of star or moon gazing.

Actually, I gave up and went to bed.

Shortly before 11 PM, something told me to look out the back door.

The moon was peeking through the clouds, high in the sky above my house.

It was 11:05 PM when this photograph was taken. Back to bed, the old guy went.

At 6:15 on September 22, 2021, another big, bright, golden moon could be seen.

Notice: The rabbit in the moon, turned upside down!

That's all I've got to complain about.

Travel Photo: Rice Hanging Out to Dry

Harvest Season Has Begun

 

 

 

It's the time of year when all the fences in Igei, will become rice drying racks.

This morning, as we were driving south on HWY 329, is the first time I noticed.

One of my favorite places to go with the cameras is this small village, to see the rice crop.

Before long, there will be tons of the harvest, lining the roads in every direction, you look.

Early  morning and, late afternoon, are the best times for photos but, we were in a hurry.

On a mission with, Click Okinawa Dude, there wasn't time to stay very long.

And, a trip to the southern ends of the island, kept us on the road until after sundown.

As long as typhoons stay away, I'll have plenty of chances to visit with the wide angle lenses.

Heck, it's just a few miles away and, I can walk down there to get some more photos.

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Pentax 18-250 at 32mm

Exposure: f/16  1/160   ISO 200

Location: HWY 329, Igei, Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: NOV 3 2015  10:18AM

Learning About the Dance Called Ushi-deeku

Ten More Photos from an Ushi-deeku

 

 Researching this cultural event in northern Okinawa, Japan has been interesting.

Depending where you are on the islands, the name of the dance may be different.

 Usudeku, was the search term I used initially because that's what I was told the dance was.

 And, I learned that women, only, perform the ritual, while I was shooting the event.

 A local newspaper had a, Oct 2012 article on Chibana Usudeku.

They say the purpose of the dance is to kick out evil spirits and have a good harvest. 

 

Chibana is a long way from this village, located in Nago.

So, I pulled my Okinawan-English dictionary off the shelf and looked for "Usudeku".

It wasn't there.

Back up north, I went to see what more I could learn about the ritual.

The friendly people in the village office gave me some printed information.

That's when I noticed (ウシヂーク) Ushi-deeku is what they call the dance.

Thanks to the University of Hawai'i Press and the

Okinawan-English Wordbook we have this information:

"Ushi-deeku, n. A woman's group dance, with hand drums and singing, to express gratitude for a 

rich harvest, usually held on the fifteenth day of the eight lunar month".

The words Usudeku and Ushi-deeku may be interchangeable, or not.

The more you research, the more you find.

Today, I found a YouTube video of Usudeku on Kudaka Island.

There is a lot more to be learned about this dance.

We will go out there and getterdun, one of these days.

The Dancing Ladies of Gushiken Okinawa, Japan (Photo)

It's a rare occasion that a day goes by without me posting something here.

Yesterday happened to be one of those days.

Up in the northern Okinawa, Japan is a village on the Motobu Peninsula called Gushiken.

That's pretty much where I've been hanging out for the past few days.

An event I'm trying to document takes place there, once a year.

It is called a Shinigu.

The ladies in the photo above are rehearsing a dance they will perform tomorrow.

Several dances and songs are done to thank the gods for bountiful harvests and good fortune.

The Shinigu could be considered a form of prayer, or worship.

The dancers are asking the gods of the seas, forests, sky, and field for continued success.

Only women are allowed to perform Shinigu.

It was my good fortune to be allowed to photograph their preparations.

For the next few evenings, I will be out of town trying to get the whole story for you.

SEE: PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR FOREIGN FESTIVALS

Photos: Editor's Picks for the Month of July 2012

These are the Editor's Picks for July 2012.

Left Hanging Out to Dry

Lens: Sigma 50-500mm

A Waterfall Named Hira Taki

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm

Amasagi: The Cattle Egret of Okinawa

Lens: Sigma 50-500mm

The type of photography I do requires a sturdy, lightweight tripod.

Most of the shots I take are with a MANFROTTO.