Asia Images / John Lander Photography

  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • Books
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
Next
444 images found
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • Legendary Sage, Jiang Zi Ya at Haw Par Villa - a wacky theme park in Singapore.  The park has over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas with scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the place was built by the Burmese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par who were the developers of Tiger Balm. They created the park in 1937 for educating the public about traditional Chinese values.
    haw-par-legendary-sage-1.jpg
  • Green Tea Bath at Yunessun Springs, Hakone - Kowakien Yunessun is a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park located in the scenic surroundings of Hakone.  With a unique blend of traditional Japanese onsen hot springs and water recreation and activities such as pools, slides, and man-made waterfalls.  Yunessun also has some wacky baths such as the coffee bath, sake bath, wine bath and even a green tea bath.
    yunessun-tea-bath-2.jpg
  • Wine Bath at Yunessun Springs - Kowakien Yunessun is a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park located in the scenic surroundings of Hakone.  With a unique blend of traditional Japanese onsen hot springs and water recreation and activities such as pools, slides, and man-made waterfalls.  Yunessun also has some wacky baths such as the coffee bath, sake bath, wine bath and even a green tea bath.
    yunessun-wine-bath-1.jpg
  • Coffee Bath at Yunessun Springs, Hakone - Kowakien Yunessun is a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park located in the scenic surroundings of Hakone.  With a unique blend of traditional Japanese onsen hot springs and water recreation and activities such as pools, slides, and man-made waterfalls.  Yunessun also has some wacky baths such as the coffee bath, sake bath, wine bath and even a green tea bath.
    yunessun-coffee-bath-2.jpg
  • Green Tea Bath at Yunessun Springs, Hakone - Kowakien Yunessun is a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park located in the scenic surroundings of Hakone.  With a unique blend of traditional Japanese onsen hot springs and water recreation and activities such as pools, slides, and man-made waterfalls.  Yunessun also has some wacky baths such as the coffee bath, sake bath, wine bath and even a green tea bath.
    yunessun-tea-bath-1.jpg
  • Hello Kitty Show at Sanrio Puroland - an indoor theme park located in Tama Center, Tokyo that attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year and hosts various musicals, restaurants, attractions, and theme rides using popular characters such as Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Keroppi, and many more. While many of the shows are only in Japanese, Puroland nevertheless attracts many visitors from overseas as well as Japan because of the worldwide popularity of these characters.   Puroland has become one of Japan's most popular attractions.
    sanrio-puroland-1.jpg
  • Hello Kitty Show at Sanrio Puroland - an indoor theme park located in Tama Center, Tokyo that attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year and hosts various musicals, restaurants, attractions, and theme rides using popular characters such as Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Keroppi, and many more. While many of the shows are only in Japanese, Puroland nevertheless attracts many visitors from overseas as well as Japan because of the worldwide popularity of these characters.   Puroland has become one of Japan's most popular attractions.
    sanrio-puroland-2.jpg
  • Jiji Elderly Man at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-22.jpg
  • Drummers at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-07.jpg
  • Glico Man - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-22.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-11.jpg
  • Action Heros at Papaya Vintage - Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-18.jpg
  • Haw Par Villa is a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-villa-5.jpg
  • Phuket Fantasea is cultural and entertainment theme park at Kamala Beach Phuket.  The park features various attractions with a focus on Thai culture and myths. Classical dances from Thailand’s regions play a prominent part in the theme park's signature show.  Some have described Phuket Fantasea as a Las-Vegas-style spectacle blending Thai culture with 4-D effects, acrobatics, pyrotechnics, special effects, elephant performances all in one unique theatrical show.  Fantasea adds a whole new spin on theme park entertainment, with attractions not found elsewhere in the world
    phuket-fantasea-3.jpg
  • Faces at Dotonbori Hotel in Osaka with an amazing entrance featuring four huge columns with faces depicting the special qualities in human beings. The face columns act as a landmark and define the hotel's traditional architecture.
    Dotombori-Hotel-1.jpg
  • Puerto Galera is well known by diving enthusiasts for its coral reefs and professionally run diving operations.; Asia Divers is one of the originals that not only set up dives but offer PADI instruction; and certification.
    diving-equipment.jpg
  • Rakan at Eirinji - Rakan and Arhat statues represent the 500 disciples of Buddha. Although many Buddhist sculptures are carved to represent exquisite beauty or terrifying ferociousness, rakan often seem to be carved in the spirit of humour and good fun, or at least they usually appear to have comical faces, even though their message or what they represent may be dead serioues.
    eirinji-disciples-3.jpg
  • Fukurokokuji Diety of Good Fortune at Mengake Procession Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-28.jpg
  • Hananago Long Nose Mask at Mengake Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-14.jpg
  • Drummer at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-05.jpg
  • Mengake Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-02.jpg
  • 52.6 Okunoin 奥の院 is the place where Kobo Daishi - the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most revered persons in the history of Japan, rests in eternal meditation.  Okunoin is considered one of the most sacred places in Japan and is surrounded by Japan's largest graveyard. People from all over Japan lie buried here, including former feudal lords, politicians and other prominent personalities.
    52.6.KII-KOYASAN-09.jpg
  • Dotombori Signs - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-19.jpg
  • Dotombori Signs - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-13.jpg
  • Dotombori River - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-6.jpg
  • Faces at Dotonbori Hotel -The Dotonbori Hotel in Osaka welcomes guests with an amazing entrance featuring four huge columns with faces depicting the special qualities in human beings. The face columns act as a landmark and define the hotel's unique architecture.
    dotombori-hotel-3.jpg
  • Ginza Mikimoto Building - Ginza is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion flagship stores are located here, including Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton....  In recent years extraordinary architecture has gone up including the De Beers Building, Mikimoto Building among others.  Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period..
    ginza-mikimoto-1.jpg
  • Ginza De Beers Building - Ginza is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion flagship stores are located here, including Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton....  In recent years extraordinary architecture has gone up including the De Beers Building, Mikimoto Building among others.  Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period..
    ginza-de-beers-2.jpg
  • Bulol statues or fertility idols, traditional wood carvings depicting a rice god guarding it. A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.  A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.
    bulol-4.jpg
  • Bulol statues or fertility idols, traditional wood carvings depicting a rice god guarding it. A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.  A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.
    bulol-3.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-13.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-3.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-10.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-11.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-5.jpg
  • Legendary Sage, Jiang Zi Ya at Haw Par Villa - a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-legendary-sage-2.jpg
  • Tiger car at Haw Par Villa - a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-tiger-car-2.jpg
  • Haw Par Villa is a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-villa-3.jpg
  • Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-10.jpg
  • Every Easter Sunday, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, San Francisco's beloved sect of cross-dressing nuns, host The Hunky Jesus Competition in Dolores Park - celebrating people who take the look of "our lord and savior" and transform it into "our lord and sexy."  The sisters believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty and we use humor and irreverent wit to expose bigotry and ignorance.  The Hunky Jesus Competition is the highlight of the Sisters' free Easter party that's been going on in the Mission's premiere public space for over three decades. These events bring all all the drag queens and even a few designers in the city because of features such as a bonnet contest and drag performances..  One of those only-in-San-Francisco events.
    hunky-jesus-contest-7.jpg
  • The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a protest and street performance organization that uses drag and religious imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance and satirize issues of gender and morality.  At their inception in 1979, a small group of gay men in San Francisco began wearing nun attire in visible situations using high camp to draw attention to social conflicts and problems in the Castro District.The Sisters have grown throughout the U.S. and are currently organized as an international network of orders, which are mostly non-profit charity organizations that raise money for AIDS, LGBT-related causes, and mainstream community service organizations, while promoting safer sex and educating others about the harmful effects of drug use and other risky behaviors. In San Francisco alone where they continue to be the most active, between 1979 and 2007 the Sisters are credited with raising over $1 million for various causes.
    sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence-1.jpg
  • Savan Vegas Hotel and Casino has 499 hotel rooms and 5000 square meters of gaming and entertainment space. Savan Vegas regularly hosts gaming tournaments and other events. The facility attracts an average of 4000 visitors per day.  The resort facility employs a staff of nearly 2000 people, 90% of which are Lao citizens.  Savan Vegas provides housing, meals, clothing, medical care, and language instruction to many of its employees at no cost.  Savan Vegas provides complementary shuttle service for all guests arriving at Savannakhet Airport and the nearby Thai border.
    savan-vegas-casino-4.jpg
  • Dreamworld is an amusement park in  Pathum Thani just north of Bangkok. The park is divided into zones with specific themes such as Dream World Plaza, Dream Gardens, Fantasy Land, and Adventure Land.  The interior of the park is filled with over 40 imported rides and family attractions such as Fairy Tale Land, or Love Garden where you can fill your heart with love in the beautifully cultivated and romantically decorated garden complete with Cupid - among hundreds of floral heart creations scattered throughout the garden. Try the  Witch's Cave - the skull-shaped cave is the place where the wicked witch lives with her pet fire dragon
    bangkok-dreamworld-4.jpg
  • Dreamworld is an amusement park in  Pathum Thani just north of Bangkok. The park is divided into zones with specific themes such as Dream World Plaza, Dream Gardens, Fantasy Land, and Adventure Land.  The interior of the park is filled with over 40 imported rides and family attractions such as Fairy Tale Land, or Love Garden where you can fill your heart with love in the beautifully cultivated and romantically decorated garden complete with Cupid - among hundreds of floral heart creations scattered throughout the garden. Try the  Witch's Cave - the skull-shaped cave is the place where the wicked witch lives with her pet fire dragon
    bangkok-dreamworld-8.jpg
  • Sake Bath at Kowakien Yunessun - a hot springs spa resort and water amusement park located in the scenic surroundings of Hakone.  With a unique blend of traditional Japanese onsen hot springs and specialty baths such as this sake bath.
    yunessun-sake-bath.jpg
  • Goa Gajah, commonly known as the Elephant Cave, is located in a steep valley just outside of Ubud near the village of Bedulu.  Built at least 700 years ago the cave was rediscovered in the 1920s.
    goa-gajah-02.jpg
  • Teruhisa Kitahara's collection of 3,000 tin toys produced from the 1890's to the 1960's is displayed here. Christmas goods can be purchased at any time of the year at 'Christmas Toys'.
    kitahara-toy-museum-2.jpg
  • The bright yellow pumpkin covered with a pattern of black dots stands about two meters high. Created by Kusama Yayoi in 1994 it has  served as a symbol of the entire Naoshima art project and over time it has been joined by other pieces integrated with Naoshima's landscape. EDITORIAL USAGE ONLY - LICENSING OUTSIDE JAPAN ONLY
    naoshima-public-art-6.jpg
  • Manila Street Fashion - Hat Contest - Waiters at this al fresco restaurant in Green Belt Makati hold a hat contest every year during the Chrismtas holidays.  This year's theme is "recycling".  Nothing explains the Filipino character better than the word exhuberance.  A passion for costumes, dressing up, funny hats and beauty pageants makes the Philippines a natural when it comes to street fashion.  Although the country's hot, humid climate usually requires casual, comfortable clothing, there is usually a bit of flair added for extra value and fun.
    manila-street-fashion-07.jpg
  • Faces at Dotonbori Hotel -The Dotonbori Hotel in Osaka welcomes guests with an amazing entrance featuring four huge columns with faces depicting the special qualities in human beings. The face columns act as a landmark and define the hotel's traditional architecture.
    Dotombori-Hotel-2.jpg
  • Okunoin is the temple where Kobo Daishi - the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most revered persons in the religious history of Japan, rests in eternal meditation. It is considered one of the most sacred places in Japan. Okunoin is surrounded by Japan's largest graveyard. People from all over Japan, who wished to be buried close to Kobo Daishi, lie there, including former feudal lords, politicians and other prominent personalities. Their graves line the approaches to Okunoin for several hundred meters through the forest.
    okunoin-4.jpg
  • Nishi Rokugo Koen in Tokyo is affectionately known as Tire Park or "Taiya Koen" made of up used recycled tires of every size in the shape of robots, dragons, swings, bridges, tunnels and mountains. Approximately 3,000 old tires were used to make  the playground, popular with local neighbors and visitors from other parks of Tokyo for its sheer novelty.
    tire-park-3.jpg
  • Oni are creatures from Japanese folklore, variously called demons, devils, ogres or trolls. They are popular characters in Japanese art, literature and theatre. Depictions of oni vary widely but usually portray them as hideous, gigantic, creatures with sharp claws, wild hair, and two long horns growing from their heads. They are humanoid for the most part, but occasionally, they are shown with unnatural features such as odd numbers of eyes or extra fingers and toes. Their skin may be any number of colors, but red and blue are particularly common.
    oni-1.jpg
  • Japanese Family Cycle is a new way for Japanese families to be together
    japanese-family.jpg
  • Mengake Mask Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing grotesque or comical masks  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-5.jpg
  • Long Nosed Mengake Mask at  Mengake Parade Procession at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing grotesque or comical masks  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-6.jpg
  • Costume Play Punks Harajuku - A wide variety of "costume play" getups are shown here: goths, cartoon characters from Japanese manga, anime,  the sweet-and-innocent frilly look or combinations in between (goth lolly)  Every Sunday, these cosplay characters converge on Harajuku, Tokyo's fashion quarter. Most casual observers say that cosplay is a reaction to the rigid rules of Japanese society. But since so many cosplay girls congregate in Harajuku and Aoyama - Tokyo headquarters of Fendi, Hanae Mori and Issey Miyake, others consider it is a reaction to high fashion. Whatever the cause, cosplay aficionados put a tremendous amount of effort into their costumes every Sunday. One wonders what they wear on Monday morning...
    costume-play-13.jpg
  • Hang Nga Villa, usually called "Crazy House", was designed and built as a personal project by architect Dang Viet Nga. Its original name means "Moon Villa" as the designer and architect, Ms Dang Viet Nga, wanted to bring people closer to nature.  This is why when exploring through the halls and corridors, you feel like you are inside an artery or intestine.  Watch out or you might just run into a giant spider web!  The house is constructed with these naturalistic themes, interpreted via concrete twists and turns.  Tigers, giraffes and kangaroos made of concrete decorate the gardens, adding to the surreal environment.
    dalat-crazy-house-12.jpg
  • Godzilla Statue, Ohshima
    godzilla-statue-oshima.jpg
  • Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco. The name reflects the fact that the race starts a few blocks from San Francisco Bay and runs west through the city to finish at the Pacific coast, where breakers crash onto Ocean Beach. The race is 12 kilometers long and takes place on the third Sunday in May and more of a costume party than a real marathon.
    bay-to-breakers-1.jpg
  • Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo offer a wide variety of items to help in practicing spiritual and religious ceremony. Tribal masks and statues from around the world symbolizing our ancestors connection with the spirit and earth. Talismans and charms directed towards many different supplications, including voodoo dolls, are available here.
    voodoo-shop-1.jpg
  • Rakan statues represent the 500 disciples of Buddha. Although many Buddhist sculptures are carved to represent exquisite beauty or terrifying ferociousness, rakan almost always seem to be carved in the spirit of humour and good fun
    rakan-zentsuji-1.jpg
  • Rakan at Eirinji - Rakan and Arhat statues represent the 500 disciples of Buddha. Although many Buddhist sculptures are carved to represent exquisite beauty or terrifying ferociousness, rakan often seem to be carved in the spirit of humour and good fun, or at least they usually appear to have comical faces, even though their message or what they represent may be dead serious.
    eirinji-disciples-2.jpg
  • Midwife at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-23.jpg
  • Lion at Mengake Kamakura Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-24.jpg
  • Okame Fat Faced Woman and Midwife at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-17.jpg
  • Hananago Long Nose Mask at Mengake Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-15.jpg
  • Japanese Musicians at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-10.jpg
  • Drummers at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-08.jpg
  • Dotombori Dragon - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-18.jpg
  • Dotombori Dragon - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-15.jpg
  • Dotombori Squid Takoyaki Restaurant - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-8.jpg
  • Dotombori Crab Restaurant - Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-7.jpg
  • Anime Sign in Dotombori is a district of Osaka famous for its neon and mechanized signs, most famously for the sign of the candy manufacturer Glico.  The Glico Man sign shows a giant electronic display of a runner crossing a finish line.  Along the streets, to advertise their products and menus visitors are amazed at the moving giant crabs, puffed out blowfish, smoking dragons and other dramatic kitsch.  Dotombori is a district has always been known for its historic theaters, night life, shops and restaurants and in modern times its many neon and mechanized signs,
    dotombori-signs-1.jpg
  • Faces at Dotonbori Hotel -The Dotonbori Hotel in Osaka welcomes guests with an amazing entrance featuring four huge columns with faces depicting the special qualities in human beings. The face columns act as a landmark and define the hotel's unique architecture.
    dotombori-hotel-1.jpg
  • Bulol statues or fertility idols, traditional wood carvings depicting a rice god guarding it. A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.  A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.
    bulol-5.jpg
  • Bulol statues or fertility idols, traditional wood carvings depicting a rice god guarding it. A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.  A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.
    bulol-2.jpg
  • Bulol statues or fertility idols, traditional wood carvings depicting a rice god guarding it. A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.  A touch on the belly of a Fertility Statue is said to do wonders to those who wish to conceive.
    bulol-1.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-18.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-12.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-10.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-6.jpg
  • Takeshima Fantasy Museum displays a magical world created from over 50,000 shells from 110 different countries. Admire the creations of coral reefs, mermaids, tunnels, shipwrecks, puffing dragons, and even the story of Urashima Taro. Each sculpture is made completely out of shells.
    Takeshima-Fantasy-Museum-1.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-15.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-9.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-7.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-3.jpg
  • Reversible Destiny at Yoro Park is an “experiential” place where you are supposed to encounter the unexpected. The park’s creation was a collaboration of two artists: Madeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa.  Everything feels a bit off at Reversible Destiny because of all the angles so as to adjust your senses if not your destiny. The park is a combination of domes, steep hills, trails and holes with trees in them. Critical Resemblance House is part maze, part house - the roof is in the shape of a map of Gifu Prefecture.  Inside are desks, ovens, refrigerators, toilets, beds sticking out of walls and the ceiling.   Insect Mountain Range is a group of rocks - meaning humans don’t have to be confined to the natural world and can choose alternatives.  Exactitude Ridge is a bridge sticking out of the ground that stops and goes nowhere.
    reversible-destiny-1.jpg
  • Jar Jar at Papaya Vintage - Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-3.jpg
  • Mood Lights at Papaya Vintage - Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-1.jpg
  • Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-16.jpg
  • Eclectic Period Room at Papaya Vintage - If Indiana Jones teamed up with the Oddities crew and set up a junk shop, Papaya Vintage is probably what it would look like. Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and manaquins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-13.jpg
  • Haw Par Villa Confucianist Diorama - Haw Par Villa is a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-confucianism-01.jpg
  • Tiger car at Haw Par Villa - a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-tiger-car-1.jpg
  • Haw Par Villa is a one-of-a-kind theme park in Singapore with over a thousand statues and a hundred dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology,  Confucian stories, folklore and legends.  Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the park was built by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par  who were the developers of Tiger Balm ointment. They created the park in 1937 for teaching the public traditional Chinese values. The most renowned attraction at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell featuring gruesome depictions of hell in  Buddhism and Chinese mythology.
    haw-par-villa-7.jpg
  • Phuket Fantasea is cultural and entertainment theme park at Kamala Beach Phuket.  The park features various attractions with a focus on Thai culture and myths. Classical dances from Thailand’s regions play a prominent part in the theme park's signature show.  Some have described Phuket Fantasea as a Las-Vegas-style spectacle blending Thai culture with 4-D effects, acrobatics, pyrotechnics, special effects, elephant performances all in one unique theatrical show.  Fantasea adds a whole new spin on theme park entertainment, with attractions not found elsewhere in the world
    phuket-fantasea-2.jpg
  • Papaya Vintage is like no other shop you have even seen - a warehouse in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok brimming with collectables, action figures, junk, exquisite antiques, and more. The adventure begins as your eyes zoom in on toys and objects from the past, reminders of moments of your childhood. Think: Darth Vader and Ultraman figures, gazing onto James Dean forever posing cool next to a doorway. Climbing the upper floors is like moving randomly through time. You can't help but notice the vintage Vespas and mannequins of comic characters Flash, Wolverine, Green Lantern and Batman, all standing next to toy cars, fluffy sofas, bean bag chairs, and grandma's lampshade.
    vintage-papaya-8.jpg
  • Hang Nga Villa, usually called "Crazy House", was designed and built as a personal project by architect Dang Viet Nga. Its original name means "Moon Villa" as the designer and architect, Ms Dang Viet Nga, wanted to bring people closer to nature.  This is why when exploring through the halls and corridors, you feel like you are inside an artery or intestine.  Watch out or you might just run into a giant spider web!  The house is constructed with these naturalistic themes, interpreted via concrete twists and turns.  Tigers, giraffes and kangaroos made of concrete decorate the gardens, adding to the surreal environment.
    dalat-crazy-house-10.jpg
  • The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a protest and street performance organization that uses drag and religious imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance and satirize issues of gender and morality.  At their inception in 1979, a small group of gay men in San Francisco began wearing nun attire in visible situations using high camp to draw attention to social conflicts and problems in the Castro District.The Sisters have grown throughout the U.S. and are currently organized as an international network of orders, which are mostly non-profit charity organizations that raise money for AIDS, LGBT-related causes, and mainstream community service organizations, while promoting safer sex and educating others about the harmful effects of drug use and other risky behaviors. In San Francisco alone where they continue to be the most active, between 1979 and 2007 the Sisters are credited with raising over $1 million for various causes.
    sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence-4.jpg
  • Ginza is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion flagship stores are located here, including Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton....  In recent years extraordinary architecture has gone up including the De Beers Building, Mikimoto Building among others.  Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period..
    ginza-de-beers-building-1.jpg
Next