January | 2017 | Michael Hoffman Photography

Posted

January 28, 2017

Kyoto Shrines

The city of Kyoto is well known as the country’s former imperial capital, also titled the thousand-year capital. Also, it is a religious epicenter of Japan with over 2,000 places of worship, including Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Kyoto was on the American target list as a possible detonation site for the first range of atomic bombs that destroyed Nagasaki and Hiroshima but was saved at the last minute by a diplomat who knew the city and wanted to keep it as a cultural treasure for humanity. If you plan a Japan trip, make sure to stop in Kyoto. There is a lot; if you have time, you can easily spend four or five full days here.

Posted

January 16, 2017

Photographing Japan

For Westerners Japan seems familiar yet very foreign at the same time. It makes for a fascinating mix. Sure, you have English-speaking signs and modern architecture similar to places in Europe and America, but then you have beautiful Shinto temples and people playing Mario Kart on the streets in real life.

Posted

January 7, 2017

The Art of Sumo

Sumo is a Japanese form of ring fighting where one massive wrestler tries to force the other one out of the ring. The fight is part of the Japanese cultural heritage, and the Sumo ringers are regarded as stars and national heroes in the country. The Sumo Ring Hall of Ryogkoku is commonly understood as the birthplace of the sport and is still the most critical competition site. Once a year, on the day of the Tenno on April 29th, the hall is open to the public free of charge. On this day, it is possible to watch the most famous Sumo ringers of the country in training. The following pictures were taken in 2016.