Alright guys, we are in Rakusai Park.
This is a bamboo forest and we came here today to explore and learn a little bit more about the bamboo culture.
So, these are the different varieties of bamboo that you can find here.
So, right now we’re discussing the plan for tomorrow morning.
Before we indulge in this amazing meal.
We’re gonna be very early tomorrow around 6:00 a.m.
So we can catch the presenters or the performers as they get ready.
Should be cool.
Alright guys, today is the official day that Daimyo Gyoretsu,
the parade, starts and I’m really looking forward to it.
We are in Hakone and it’s absolutely incredible.
There are so many people around us.
I’ve been seeing Samurais, I’ve been seeing Geishas.
There’s a lot to look forward to and the food – so much food – and it’s free.
Who wouldn’t want to be here right now, right?
I know that everyone is here right now so I will go and sneak somewhere else
and find some other spots to shoot.
Come with me.
I think I can hear a waterfall.
Let’s see if there is one.
Alright, so I’m choosing a 7 to 14 millimetre, because it’s wide enough
to capture the whole scenery, although I’m really close.
I want to shoot that really interesting street right there
with all the advertising and food.
It’s really cool.
I think if it gets a little bit darker, you will get a lot more vibrancy in the colours.
It’s beginning to rain a little bit, so if the ground is wet...
Photographer’s dream, right?
Photographer’s dream!
We’re at the virtual reality park in Tokyo.
We’re going to try some of these simulations.
Have you ever been?
Never.
This is crazy.
Good morning everyone.
You’re probably all wondering where we are currently.
We are at Aikido Honbu Dojo.
This is the headquarters of the modern Japanese defensive martial art practice.
We’re going to be speaking with the master today
and really dive deep into finding out what this martial art is.
So, sitting with me I have the current Doshu of Aikido Academy here, Moriteru Ueshiba.
Thank you again for having us here.
I have some very simple questions for you that I am sure many of us want to know the answers to.
The first one that comes to my mind is:
In Aikido there are many elements that are related to the Japanese culture
and being that it is a Japanese practice,
how do you think that the culture over time has influenced the way that you go about your practice?
The essence has not changed despite the times changing.
One big pillar of the spirituality of Japan is that we do not confront, but respect others.
Our spirituality is to value others, no matter what happens or how times are changing.
The practice of Aikido is one way to express this.
This is really, really nice.
So, if you get close to the lights,
they light up and then they interact with the other ones.
Supposedly.
Something like that.
Alright guys, so today is very exciting because I have Takuya,
who is the owner of Takuya Angel, which is a Harajuku fashion brand.
He came all the way from Kobe, which we really appreciate, because we are currently in Tokyo.
And I have so many questions to ask him, because fashion is a very important thing to the Japanese people,
but it’s also a very important thing for our international community.
And that gets me thinking, where did you draw your inspiration to start your brand?
What was it that initiated that for you?
I like Japanese tradition and also anime and manga,
so I mixed these things in my fashion.
So, I think it was a cumulation of your hobbies that really got you put together and initiated this interest.
I used to have my own store in Harajuku for 10 years from 2000 to 2010
and I used to live in Harajuku as well.
I talked a lot to my customers.
Tokyo is a big city, but Harajuku is basically the only place in the whole city
where you can wear this really extravagant kind of style.
In other places people would point at you and it’s more difficult.
Harajuku was the only place where this was possible, so that’s why I tried my best there.
The #japanexplorers made their way around various parts of this beautiful country.
And we learned so many new things about the Japanese culture,
the traditions and the values, and we’ve made our way also through natural
landscapes that had to offer so much.
The G-Classes enabled us to really explore different parts of this country.
And in that process, we captured various
aspects of how beautiful, dynamic and changing this culture is.
So, I hope you guys enjoyed this vlog series.
Be sure to leave your comment.
We’d love to hear your feedback.
Until then, #japanexplorers out, peace.