I hope everyone is enjoying the last day of the year! New Years Eve in Japan is a very symbolic day and is associated with cleansing the mind and the home, and making preparation for the coming year. One preparation a lot of people do is called 'oosouji', or 'big cleaning', similar to the concept of 'spring cleaning' in the west. It is a great chance to clear out clutter from your house and make sure you are ready for the next year. As photographers it is a great chance to clean up photos in your library that you might have not gotten around to filing, posting or publising. 2011 was a great year for me. I accomplished a lot of what I wanted in my professional and family life. I was lucky enough to travel all over the world. I had more success with ShootTokyo than I could have hoped or imaged in the first year. I enjoyed today as a day to look back on the year and weigh what worked and what I can improve on. I'll write a bit about that tomorrow when I talk about what I am hoping to accomplish in 2012.

Now onto this year's Oosouji...

Sometimes at night I like to walk around small little bar and restaurant areas. Always great scenes to capture.

I saw 'Tom' mouse when I was in Shanghai... looks very close to Mickey. Hmmm.

I have been stalking the local McDonald's trying to get the latest Pokemon Toys they are giving away in the 'Happy Sets' in Japan. My son just wants the toys..

It sure has been a year of fighting for Japan...

I pass this building all the time. I really need to spend some time shooting it.

Choices...

'This is the hamburger'...

Sending New Year's Cards is such a big deal in Japan they get their own slot in the mailbox... We (well my wife) will have 100s in our mailbox tomorrow.

Tokyo Sky Tree...

Me at lunch the other day with my wife... She can shoot the M9! I am trying to get her interested so I can convince her she (I) needs the M10 whenever it comes out...