Another day out

I went to a flea market today. As usual, I took quite a few pictures, although not always of the things or people I wanted to take pictures of. I find it hard to point a camera at people, even if they are dressed in such a way they're positively begging to be photographed. Somehow it seems rude, and since I didn't have the longer lens attached to the camera I did not get as many people shots as I would have liked.

I got one, though. This old guy was dressed interestingly, wearing tabi (two-toed socks), and a face mask.


Whether the mask was because he had a cold or because of seasonal allergies I don't know, but it somehow added to the overall effect. The best part, however, is the bit you can't really see clearly because I was not focused on it when I took the picture. When we walked past him I saw it, and did a bit of a double-take.


This picture is not clear, but at least you can see the shape of possibly the strangest bag I have ever seen. The bag is frog-shaped, and looked horribly as if it was made from a real frog, although as I went past I noticed it had a zipper in the back of its head. I'm fairly sure real frogs don't have zippers. My friend also noticed that it had teeth. Do frogs have teeth? When we thought about it, we realized neither of us knew.

I also got a picture of an old couple I have seen before. These two always carry brooms, and have something to do with Japanese folklore. The Man's memory failed him when I asked. The answer was on the tip of his tongue, but he wouldn't let me hit him on the back of the head to pop it out. The old couple will remain a mystery unless he suddenly remembers, or one of my readers knows who they are.


This next picture is of a sort of plaque advertising Fususuke Tabi, a sock company. Fukusuke is the merchant god of prosperity, and the company takes its name from that. This plaque is old enough that the writing reads from right to left instead of left to right. I'm not sure when it changed, but I'm fairly sure it was before the war. The company is still around. These days they make ordinary socks rather than (or as well as) tabi.


I also found a rather discouraged Buddha. If I grew hair on my belly I'd probably be discouraged, too.


And finally, here is a head, because no flea market post would be complete without a photograph of a head.