Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Back in Business

I bet some of you still remember the Ishigaki Stone Wall Cafe - a student designed demonstration project that started when the university announced a plan to knock down the wall to make a new entrance to the main campus.
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After the students proposed an alternative solution and the university agreed on the new plan, colorful billboards and signs are put up again to promote student activities.
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Nothing new about the Prime Minister's controversial visit to the Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo (corner top left). In Japan, the opinion of Koizumi's controversial annual visit to Yasukuni Shrine has been divided. For some of those who support it, it is merely viewed as a private visit by someone who wants to pray in a Shinto shrine, remembering the Japanese who died in the wars in the past years. Meanwhile for some of the opponents, Koizumi's visit is unconstitutional, as the Japanese constitution stipulates the separation of religion and state. Also, because Koizumi is a prime minister, his actions always carry political messages even when he calls them private ones.
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Even President Bush's visit to Kyoto was greeted by protest prior a summit of 21 Asia-Pacific leaders in Pusan, South Korea.
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I particular like the design of this student-run board to promote the astrology club (I think). High above us the planets and stars spin - why won't we get together and gaze at the sky tonight ?
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More cute boards stretching along the walls. I think these are to promote the upcoming 47th November Festival.
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I took this picture last week. The 47th November Festival starts today - November 23rd till November 26th. I will most likely go join the crowd later for some festival fun !
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Different bands played music every evening before the festival. Some were good but some will too probably give you a threshold pain in the ear.
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The North Campus of Kyoto University - along the road lined with ginkgo trees.
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During winter when the ginkgo trees bare all - naked under the sun and only the branches on view.

10 comments:

Sidney said...

Great journalistic work! We got a good impression of your surroundings!

Creative students!

zbjernak said...

the ginko trees are very beautiful...

and those colorful board... surely this uni promote freedom of speech and creativity..

tht should be the way... not like ours...
this ban, that bare, those cannot

arGlene said...

ayy, so many bikes around. I suddenly miss biking...:(

but I appreciate the pictures of course. thanks for these, I've seen parts of your university Pat. :)

Melissa said...

GReat shot of the band playing! That kids pose is priceless!

When was the festival? Is it over? I love school festivals! I`d really like to check it out!

Acrix said...

Nice photos! Ur uni like very lively compared to the almost dead uni like mine~

AL LEE said...

I love my campus when the ginko trees are all yellow. Now that the leaves are dropping, the whole ground is covered in yellow leaves. Gorgeous! But the smell of the rotting/smashed fruits is ugh.

Nightraveller said...

I still have no idea where North Campus is...(kill me! >_< )

Nice job, Patrick.

Patrick Leong said...

sidney : the many buildings of different graduate schools and faculties are sort of clustered close together around the campus area. not cramped but not wildly spacious enough too. but thank god .. the changing of seasons in combination with different species of trees - the blossoming of sakuras, trees surrendering to winter, every season brings a beautiful sight.

zbjernak : i have not participated in any of the free speech movement. well, all because i don't speak japanese freely (or expressively) :P

arglene : oh ... i have enough of biking. *yawn* all this biking to school everyday is making me tired.

melissa : the festival is from november 23rd till 26th. are you coming over to kyoto ?

acrix : kyoto university is one of the most famous universities in japan. japanese students here are supposed to be one of the smartest. when i was an undergraduate in USM, the food science faculty probably has about five postgraduate students each year. but here, my lab itself has about five new students every year and there are more than 30 labs i think.

ai ling : yea. i saw a couple of times people picking ginkgo fruit. you mean the place started smelling already ?

nightraveler : how come ? i thought you spent about six months in kyoto university doing language ? that means you have never been to 北部食堂 for meals ?

kruy® said...

love the photo re the ginkgo trees showing different seasons to reflect the change :)

i'm working on mine on that, just waiting to capture the winter scene and i'll have a complete set of seasonal pic of one area.

Lrong Lim said...

so pretty... this kyodai campus...