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Friday, April 25, 2008

A BRIEF DEBRIEF

Tokyo, Japan is a wonderful town
Asakusa’s up and Odaiba is down
The people crap in a hole in the ground
Tokyo, Japan -
It’s a wonderful town!


Erisson and Eruda Datta
Erisson and “Eruda Datta” go native in Kyoto.

Just two of the 847 photos we took during our ten-day sojourn in the Land of the Rising Sun, a journey that took us from Tokyo to Kyoto, Hiroshima, Beppu, back to Tokyo, to Hakone, and back to Tokyo.

We ate plenty of Interesting Foods, stayed in both Western- and Japanese-style rooms (with quality ranging from spartan-but-clean to magnificent), managed to get everywhere we needed to go, and (in one memorable day) used nine separate modes of transportation - not counting old, reliable Shank’s Mare. No small feat, especially considering that a map of the Tokyo subway system is enough to give the average New York straphanger a splitting headache.

We bathed in natural volcanic springs and even enjoyed a sand bath - being buried in hot volcanic sand for 15 minutes. Not for people with heart conditions, they say.

We stood at the hypocenter of the Hiroshima A-bomb and marveled at the city that has - literally - grown Phoenix-like from the ashes of World War II.

We were awestruck at the myriad contrasts between Old Japan and New, a place where tradition and technology live cheek-by-jowl, often creating bizarre juxtapositions. It’s the country that gave us anime, Godzilla...and Hello Kitty.

It was a perfectly wonderful Father-Daughter Trip...long enough to allow us to see and do many things... and long enough so that I was more than happy to come home to She Who Must Be Obeyed.

More pictures below the fold. Click on any one of ’em to embiggen.

Fuji-san
The elusive Fuji-san, as seen from the Hakone Ropeway.

Shimbashi-dori
Along Shimbashi-dori in Kyoto.

Tenryu-ji
At Tenryu-ji, a Buddhist temple in Arashiyama.

Tokonoma at Tenryu-ji
A sacred alcove at Tenryu-ji. Has Keesie been here?

Ryokan Breakfast
Breakfast of Champions in Kyoto.

Genbaku-Domu
The Genbaku-Domu in Hiroshima.

Asakusa lanterns
Lanterns at the Asakusa Kannon Temple, Tokyo.

Pagoda
The famous Five-Roofed Pagoda at Asakusa, Tokyo.

Kujira-na Beikon
Elisson enjoys a slice of whale bacon. Really.

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