Following on from: alcoholic Christmas trees and colourful cocktail wishes – both taken at my local Shinto temple. To explain the colourful umbrellas, a couple of quotes from my previous posts:

“My favourite spot for photos in my Japanese home away from home is the local Shinto temple. Despite its tranquillity and calm there always seems to be something happening- a devoted monk wandering solemnly; the chime of bells; messages of fortune scrawled upon shrines. The peace and quiet is transformed into something as busy and bustling as the hectic streets of Tokyo.”

“On this occasion the trees had been adorned with brightly coloured cocktail umbrellas, like fairy lights on an alcoholic Christmas tree.”

“As well as in the trees, the colourful cocktails umbrellas were mingling with wishes and fortunes – attached hopefully to ritual temple adornments. A bit like in one of my old posts – ‘Wishes’.”