Yesterday while walking to the Kyoto Museum (which turns out to be closed for refurbishment just now, by the look of things) we stumbled upon the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto. Why not? Let’s pop in and have a look.
It’s a small museum, with a lot of staff, and a completely amazing range of kaleidoscopes for you to pick up and peer through. The staff don’t speak much English but when they discovered we were from Scotland we became VIPs – apparently, the kaleidoscope was invented by a Scot! There on the wall was a plaque dedicated to Sir David Brewster, the 18th century scientist who invented the kaleidoscope. And I came all the way to Kyoto to find that out?!
What a wonderful way to pass an hour or so playing with all the kaleidoscopes. Just beautiful. Before we left, we bought one, too. Here’s my attempt to take a photograph through the spy-hole of a kaleidoscope….
Posts Tagged ‘travel’
Serendipity, wonder and play
Posted in from the dark room, photography, tagged travel on April 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Reflections in Tokyo
Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, photography, tagged travel on April 24, 2011| 1 Comment »
What on earth is this? Look carefully….leaves and sky reflected in leaves on stone in the rain.
Strikingly beautiful. Leaves and trees engraved onto marble glistening in the rain.
This next one makes it look like I’ve just teleported from Scotland to Tokyo. (I didn’t teleport, by the way, just the regular AirFrance flight)
This was a striking experience……the combination of multiply different environments, natural, artistic, built and cultural…..suddenly, here I am, in a different, floating world.





