Daibutsu, Kamakura

Daibutsu, Kamakura
Daibutsu in Kamakura, June 2010. There were thousands of school kids visiting that day. It was still great fun.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Japan Photos - A gate with no walls

Nice gate entrance to this home.


But I don't see it really providing much security.
I have seen these types of wall-less gates on other Japan blogs from around Japan. Curious as to the point of the gates with no walls. Are they unfinished projects? Did the homeowner run out of money? This particular gate is in Otawara in Tochigi and has been this way since my first visit in 2002.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:13 AM

    I've often seen the same sort of thing, and wondered about it. Weird, right?

    Maybe it's more of a social/cultural thing, in the sense that the homeowner likes the idea of having a front gate, of picking up her mail and walking through the gate, and down a path to get to the house. It feels more classy, more suburban, like you're living a certain kind of life, belonging to a certain class of people if you have a front gate.

    I dunno. I could be totally off. It's just a thought.

    To be honest, I'm just as amused and confused by those who have full gates in front of their houses, like what do you need such security for? This is Japan. Has there actually been a home invasion in your neighborhood, ever, that this is something you genuinely need to worry about? Or maybe my stereotyped perception of how safe it is is just mistaken...

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  2. Yes, I have a feeling it is some sort of cultural thing as well but not sure. I too wonder about the full gates. Most of them it wouldn't take much effort to hop over anyway or they are not locked so they don't seem to really provide much security.

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  3. For a country that hates Chutohanpa, I can't think of a better example.

    Gotta love the quirky things about Japan...

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  4. Hehe, you got that right Poe, definitely chutohanpa. I do like the quirky things about Japan though.

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