Astrology wise, 2025 is supposedly a really grim year…
We need to be prepared for the storms ahead…
I have been saying this since 2-3 years back....2024-2029, all are bad, and one is worse than the next.
In 2025, 80% people will fare less better than they were in 2024...
In 2025, 80% people will have to undergo some form of overseas travel, but I do not see the travel industry booming...so these are likely refugees or deportees...
In 2025, company closures and job losses are common.
In 2025, there will be many more big natural disasters...in fact, many Japanese astrologers and fortune tellers predict this to be a year much worse than 1945...a big earthquake/ tsunami is expected 3rd to 7th July 2025...
The changes will come quickly and abruptly, taking many by surprise....
For many, what that has worked before will not work again...
As with every year (my travel schedules haven't changed for the past 10 years...) I visit Japan during the Christmas period. This year, I stay a little longer and visit Hokkaido as well.
My intention is to see the red crown cranes (tancho), a majestic bird with a rich cultural history in Japan. They are a symbol of good luck and longevity.
During the Meiji Period, the tancho were widely thought to be extinct due to agricultural exploitation. However, they were rediscovered in the early 20th century, prompting urgent initiatives to boost their population. Efforts included the restoration of their natural habitat and the establishment of feeding centers to provide sustenance during the winter months. As a result, their numbers have risen from a mere few to over a thousand.
The red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis), also called the Manchurian crane (traditional Chinese: 丹頂鶴; simplified Chinese: 丹顶鹤; pinyin: dāndǐng hè; Japanese: 丹頂鶴 or タンチョウヅル; rōmaji: tanchōzuru; Korean: 두루미; romaja: durumi; the Chinese character '丹' means 'red', '頂/顶' means 'crown' and '鶴/鹤' means 'crane'), is a large East Asian crane among the rarest cranes in the world. In many parts of its range, it is known as a symbol of luck, longevity, and fidelity.
The red crowned crane is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The population of red-crowned cranes is split into a migratory continental population in Korea, China, Mongolia and Russia (with all birds wintering in Korea and China), and a resident Japanese population in Hokkaidō.
In Japan, this crane is known as the tanchōzuru and is said to live for 1,000 years. A pair of red-crowned cranes was used in the design for the Series D 1000-yen note (reverse side). In the Ainu language, the red-crowned crane is known as sarurun kamuy or "marsh kamuy". At Tsurui, they are one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. Cranes are said to grant favours in return for acts of sacrifice, as in Tsuru no Ongaeshi ("crane's return of a favor").
Given its reputation, Jerry Huff, an American branding expert, recommended it as the international logo of Japan Airlines, after seeing a representation of it in a gallery of samurai crests. Huff wrote "I had faith that it was the perfect symbol for Japan Air Lines. I found that the crane myth was all positive—it mates for life (loyalty), and flies high for miles without tiring (strength)."
Situated approximately 50 minutes by car from Kushiro Tancho Airport and an hour by bus from the nearest city, Kushiro, the Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary is an essential destination for birdwatching enthusiasts. This area is home to various bird species, but the most remarkable is the red-crowned crane. From November to March, around 300 of these cranes visit the sanctuary in search of food. These magnificent birds can be observed standing majestically in the snowy expanses, appearing to engage in conversation before soaring gracefully into the sky. Between mid-February and early March, the cranes engage in their courtship displays, making this period particularly favorable for birdwatchers seeking to capture rare photographs of these culturally significant avians.
The photo was done during a snowstorm on 31st December 2024. The main airport in Sapporo is closed and more than 42 flights from Japan Airlines has been cancelled. We just took the car out into the snowstorm and headed to the crane sanctuary...
The sanctuary was devoid of people...there were little cranes around as well, most have gone back to their nests...and then I got lucky when a pair flew pass...this is what I got...the scene is exactly like one of those old Japanese paintings...
Previously, I missed the great photo opportunities in the past with snowstorms in NYC, Tokyo and Kyoto…not gonna make the same mistake again...
In Fengshui, we like decorative items to boost and enhance luck. Paintings of a pair of geese or a pair of cranes flying is always a highly sought after item to boost career luck. Of course, such paintings are not as common as we think they should be...so for this trip, mission accomplished....
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