January 30, 2009

Lampshades on Trees


(A park in Waseda.)

These laquer umbrella-like constructions are yukitsuri, bamboo poles erected and tied together to protect trees from snow. The snow is supposed to slide down the poles, thereby preventing the pine trees from being damaged. But this practice seems sweetly overbearing in Tokyo, where current high temperatures are around 10°C. Hardly a promise of snow.

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