Buddhika Weerasinghe

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Place To Visit - Nara

A Great Buddha statue located in the Daibutsuden (the temple's main hall) at Todaiji Temple on March 2, 2013 in Nara, Japan. The Buddhist Todaiji temple was built in 752 AD and is now one of seven sites in Nara to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Out Door Tea Ceremony Takes Place At Kitano Tenmangu

Japanese Geisha hold green tea cups during the Baikasai, Plum Blossom Festival at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine on February 25, 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. The annual event takes place on February 25, to commemorate enshrined Michizane Sugawara, a politician and plum-blossom aficionado of the Heian-Period who passed away today in 903. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Saidaiji Temple Naked Festival Takes Place

Japanese men wear loincloths as they enter the Saidaiji Temple during Naked Festival on February 16, 2013 in Okayama, Japan. Saidaiji Naked Festival (Hadaka Matsuri) is one of Japan's more eccentric festivals and sees some 9,000 men take part and battle to grab for pair of lucky sticks thrown by priests. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Japan's Southern Most Wintering Place For Siberian Swan

White Siberian Swans spend their winter at Tamaoka Lake on February 14, 2013 in Kasai, Japan. Siberian swans have been coming to Kasai since the start of winter and will return back to their homeland at the begining of spring. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Shakuhachi, Traditional Japanese Bamboo Flutes Perform.

Japanese Shakuhachi player performs at Zuganji Temple on February 11, 2013 in Himeji, Japan. The Shakuhachi is used in spiritual meditation and the players wear wicker baskets on their heads to symbolise their detachment from the world.(Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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World Most Expensive Chocolate On Sale For Valentine's Day

A piece of diamond shape chocolate with a 2.3 carat diamond in the centre on display for at a Hanshin Department Store for the upcoming Valentine's day on February 6, 2013 in Osaka, Japan. The chocolate is priced at 3 million yen (about USD 32,456), making it the world's most expensive chocolate. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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People walk at Osaka Station City on February 6, 2013 in Osaka, Japan. Osaka have been ranked the world's most expensive second city to live, Tokyo as the most expensive city according to research of the British magazine The Economist. Tokyo topped the list, with an index reading of 152. Osaka came in second, at 146. Prices of a loaf of bread, other food items and gasoline were higher than in other cities. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Japanese Macaques Form Huddle To Keep Warm

Japanese macaque monkeys huddle together in a group to protect themselves against the cold weather at Awajishima Monkey Center on January 26, 2013 in Sumoto, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Severe low temperatures has hit Japan with more heavy snowfall. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Japanese Sake Brewery In Himeji

Japanese sake brewery workers spread out steamed rice for cooling at Tatsuriki sake brewery on January 21, 2013 in Himeji, Japan. The Hyogo prefecture is the largest sake producing region in Japan. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Oni Oi Perform

A man performs ritual ogre dance as man takes photographs during the Oni Oi annual festival at Shosha Temple on January 18, 2013 in Himeji, Japan. Two men dress as Red-skinned ogre and a green-skinned ogre holding a sword, a bell and a flaming torch in their hands perform ritual dance inside the dark temple building with sounds of the temple bell. Many Japanese Buddhist temples perform ritual Oni oi festival beginning of the year to pray for a bountiful harvest and remove misfortune. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

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Kobe Marks 18th Anniversary Of Hanshin Great Earthquake

A man lights a candle for victims of the 1995 'Great Hanshin earthquake' during a memorial ceremony on January 17, 2013 in Kobe, Japan. Memorial services were held to mark the 18th anniversary of the 1995 massive earthquake, hundreds of people gathered early this morning to pay their respects and light bamboo lanterns in the park for more than 6,400 people who lost their lives in the 7.3 magnitude earthquake. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Twenty Years Old Japanese Celebrate Coming Of Age Day


20 years old woman dressed in traditional kimono walks in the rain for her 'Coming-of-Age Day' celebration at Cultural Hall on January 14, 2013 in Himeji, Japan. The event involves 20-year-old Japanese people celebrating their eligibility to drink alcohol, smoke and vote. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) The second Monday of January in Japan is annually celebrated as the Coming of Age Day or Seijin no hi in Japanese. This year, the day comes on 14 January when it is time to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached the age of majority (20 years old) over the past year, as well as to celebrate adulthood.

Shinzo Abe Of Liberal Democratic Party Makes Street Speech

Former Prime Minister and leader of Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shinzo Abe waves to supporters from his car during an election campaign on December 13, 2012 in Osaka, Japan. Japanese voters will go to the polls for a general election on December 16, 2012. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Kobe Luminarie 2012

People admire the Kobe Luminarie illuminations on December 6, 2012 in Kobe, Japan. Some 200,000 electric bulbs are lit up for the annual Japanese illumination event which begun in 1995 to commemorate the victims of the Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake and this year will take place from December 6 - 17. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

General Election Campaign Officially Begins

Japan Restoration Party leader former Tokyo Govener Shintaro Ishihara (3rd L) speaks to voters as deputy leader Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto (3rd R) looks from the roof of a campagin car during their official election party campaign for the upcoming lower house election on December 4, 2012 in Osaka, Japan. Japanese vote in the general election on December 16. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)