Manhole Cover of City of Shimoda
Location: Perry Road, Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 15:23 June 6, 2023
One of the sites where US Naval Commodore Perry initially landed in Japan, demanding an end to Japan's extensive period of isolation spanning over 200 years, and advocating for trade with the Western world through the use of gunboat diplomacy, has been immortalized in the history books. The city of Shimoda is the location where the Treaty of Peace and Amity was signed in 1854 between the US Government and the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate.
Within this city, there exists many unique manhole covers that pay homage to the iconic "Black Ships." These legendary vessels earned their name from the Japanese people themselves, owing to their distinctive black hulls and the billowing black smoke emitted by their coal-fired steam engines.
Checkout the Pix4Japan blog for historical references, further details, and geotagged locations (link in Bio).
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/280 sec. at ƒ/2.2
Classic Chrome film simulation
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Komeido Bookstore at Gumyoji Shotengai
Location: Gumyoji, Minami Ward, Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 17:12・2024/04/09
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/140 sec. at ƒ/13
Classic Negative film simulation
Located at the eastern entrance to the Gumyoji Kannon Street Shopping Arcade (Gumyoji Shotengai), just a minute's walk from Gumyoji Station on the municipal Blue Line subway, lies the Komeido Shoten bookstore.
Rooted in its origins dating back to around 1940, Komeido Shoten is presently under the stewardship of its third-generation owner. The bookstore underwent renovation in 2008, expanding its offerings to encompass a diverse range of books within its 49.58 square-meter (533.67 square-foot) premises.
Among its collection, one can find a plethora of comics, magazines, and novels. Notably, the selection leans less towards business-oriented titles and more towards catering to the preferences of its core clientele, which predominantly comprises students, housewives, and retirees from the local community.
A unique feature of the bookstore is its practice of including small gifts and product samples with many of its books, a gesture that resonates particularly well with the cost-conscious women who frequent the establishment. Furthermore, in recognition of the large student population in the vicinity, the store maintains a well-stocked inventory of relevant textbooks to meet their academic needs.
For links to Google Maps and additional source references, please check out my latest write-up, a concise 1-minute read (https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20240409-komeido).
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