Ofuna Kannon in Kamakura Japan

On a recent trip to Haneda Japan, some of my crew members and I decided to expose ourselves to a little Japanese culture and take a trip to Kamakura where the Ofuna Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) is located.

The Ofuna Kannon, is a Buddhist temple that features a 25 meter tall 1,900 ton reinforced concrete statue of Kan’non which is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon or Kuan Yin.

Construction of the Temple began in 1929 by the S?t? (Zen) Buddhist sect. The outline of the statue was complete by 1934 but work was suspended at the outbreak of the Pacific War. The Ofuna Kannon Society continued construction work in 1954 and the Temple was finally completed in 1960. The statue construction is that of sections of poured concrete and was performed entirely by hand. No concrete pump trucks were used. The surface of the statue is oft painted white.

The statue itself contains a small museum and shrine and both are open for viewing.

The Kannon incorporates stones from ground zero of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to commemorate those who died in the explosions of the atomic bombs. A fire originating from the atomic fires of Hiroshima burns in a mushroom-formed statue.

Here I was able to have my fortune read which luckily for me turned out to be very positive. It translate to . . . the gray clouds are clearing and you’re on the track to happiness.

It was a beautiful day filled with friendship, fun and laughter.

VTech Green Cordless Phone with Caller ID/Call Waiting (Giveaway)

Green has never really been my favorite color but I started having seconds thoughts after I saw the new green VTech Cordless Phone with Caller ID/Call Waiting ($19.95).

VTech phones have always been our choice of home phones and I have found them to be reliable, user friendly and reasonably priced. The VTech Cordless Phone with Caller ID/Call Waiting (CS6519-14) is no different and comes with the following features:

• Caller ID/Call Waiting – Know who’s calling with Caller ID/Call Waiting. Handset displays the name, number, time and date of incoming calls. Stores 50 calls.
• ECO mode power conserving technology
• Quite mode – Silence the ringer on the handset and base unit immediately, or for an extended period of time
• Expandable up to 5 handsets with only one phone jack – Expandable up to 5 handsets with only one phone jack—accessory handsets (sold separately). Additional handsets can be placed anywhere in your home or office near an outlet, no phone jack necessary. Convenient, flexible and easy to use.
• DECT 6.0 Digital technology – Utilizing the latest-available frequency band, this interference-free technology provides superior voice and sound quality and higher protection against eavesdropping than 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz phone systems.
• Voicemail Waiting Indicator
• Handset speakerphone
• Backlit keypad and display
• Conference between an outside line and up to 2 cordless handsets
• Trilingual prompts allow you to choose between English, Spanish or French
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Intercom between handsets
• Last 10 number redial
• Mute
• Any key Answer
• Volume Control
• Wall-mount bracket included

So, add a little color to your life and check out the green VTech Cordless Phone with Caller ID/Call Waiting! It will definitely make a statement.

WIN IT!

How would you like to win a green VTech Cordless Phone with Caller ID/Call Waiting? To enter:

• Just mention in comments before midnight, March 30th what your favorite phone feature is. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow An Island Life on Twitter.
• Follow VTech on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway (once daily). Enter to win a #VTech411 cordless phone!  @kailani #giveaway http://islandlife808.com/?p=37197
• Already a fan of VTech’s Facebook page.
• Already a fan of An Island Life on Facebook.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for VTech who provided the information and item for giveaway. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy.

The Croods (Giveaway)

THE CROODS is a 3D comedy adventure that follows the world’s first modern family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always been their home is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods are rocked by generational clashes and seismic shifts as they discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures — and their outlook is changed forever.

Starring the voices of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman.

In theaters on March 22nd!

Connect with The Croods:

• Visit the official website
• Like The Croods on Facebook
• Follow @DWAnimation on Twitter #TheCroods
• Re-pin great DIY tutorials, printables & more from The Croods on Pinterest!

WIN IT!

Win a Croods Prize Pack ($50 value) which includes:

• $25 Visa gift card to see the movie
• The Croods coloring book w/ crayons
• Belt Plush Toy

To enter:

• Just mention in comments before midnight, March 30th why you’d like to win. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow An Island Life on Twitter.
• Follow The Croods on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway (once daily). Enter to win a #The Croods Prize Pack!  @kailani #giveaway http://islandlife808.com/giveaways/the-croods-giveaway/
• Already a fan of The Croods Facebook page.
• Already a fan of An Island Life on Facebook.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for 20^th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation who provided the information and item for giveaway. I was compensated with a Croods prize pack. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy.

A Day in Yokohama Japan

Woke up to a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji

First stop was Cosmo World

Where we rode the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris Wheel.
It’s the second tallest Ferris Wheel in the world.
60 passenger cars, 112.5 meters tall. Took 15 minutes to go completely around.

A view from the top.

Shabu Shabu lunch at Syabu-Yo @ World Porters. All-you-can-eat for 1500 jpy.

Time for some sightseeing.
The InterContinental Yokohama Grand on the Yokohama Bay.

Yokohama Landmark Tower

The Nippon Maru served as a training ship for cadets in Japan when it was built in 1930. Powered by the 29 sails, the Nippon Maru logged nearly two million nautical miles around the globe.

The perfect end to a perfect day.