I wanted to put these photos together to capture the incredible juxtaposition that is Japan. The first photo was taken on the outskirts of Kyoto early in the morning on the way to catch a bus. This very serious looking man passed by quickly on his way to some job or appointment. If I had blinked, I might have missed it. The second photo was taken at a Buddhist temple we stayed at later on our way back from Kyushu. The large iron bell is rung twice a day at 6am and 6pm. I got up one morning to help ring it, and the priest invited me to stand inside as the reverberations of its last toll dissipated back to silence.