Our first hotel room
View from hotel room
Closer up view from hotel room
First green tea snack we tried
Hotel yukata! Yukata = casual summer kimono, can be worn after bathing
First dinner
Aki wearing his hotel yukata
Aki's mom in the hotel lobby
First Japanese animal I saw. :)
Taking photos in the hotel lobby
Hotel lobby again. Pretty good gift shop on the left.
In hotel lobby
In hotel lobby. Good smiles. :)
On the bus
On the train
Woman wearing yukata while we were waiting for our bus tour to start
Back of yukata
Such a good idea to show the food that your restaurant offers. And it actually looks exactly like this when you get your food!
The parfaits were crazy!
Trying to decide what to eat
A cafe that offers "intelligence, excitement and infinite dream"
The "candle" in Kyoto
Thin cars to fit narrow streets
So many bikes!
Shozan
Traditional meal while on a bus tour
Room the meal was in
Restaurant the meal was in, used to be a villa
Video of Shozan
Shozan, a kimono factory with beautiful gardens (they thought beautiful kimono should be made in a beautiful place) :)
The brochure says this room is used for tea ceremonies, there's a decorative hole in a wall and in the waiting room and the back rests are made of roof tiles
Picture of a postcard from our first tour
Picture of a postcard from our first tour.
On the bus tour we saw a sampling of traditional culture. This was tea ceremony
The curtain at the performance
Koto music, a 13-stringed instrument, was used for court music in the beginning
Flower arranging
Gagaku (court music). The word also covers classical dancing and singing as well as instrumental music.
Video of Gagaku
Kyogen (ancient comic play). Andi couldn't understand anything, but thankfully we had received a brochure in English that told the plot so she understood what was happening.
Kyomai (Kyoto style dance). Maikosan are geisha apprentices.
Bunraku (puppet play)
That night we had dessert at the subway station. Green tea parfait. Even the whipped cream is green tea flavored.
We also had this green tea mousse/pie. Andi had her fill of green tea after eating this and some of the parfait! Very good though.
2nd hotel room in Kyoto.
2nd hotel yukata.
View from hotel
Hotel lobby
Taxi time
An extra hot and humid summer in Japan. Many women, including Andi, carried an umbrella.
3rd hotel room
View from hotel. Kyoto station is on the right.
Andi got to dress up as a maikosan for an hour! It's a fake wig that was pretty heavy. This was really fun!
Sanmon of Chion-in
Maruyama Park
The kneeling man was taller than his superior on the left so he knelt for this statue.
2nd traditional meal in a bus tour. Andi understood some of what was said during this meal!
cat
crane and reflection :)
People on our tour at Kodai-ji Temple
Still at Kodai-ji but we can see Ryōzen Kannon (white statue in the background)
cool :)
The crowd waiting to see Daimonji
There it is! It is the culmination of the O-Bon festival on August 16th, in which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased family members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world—thus the name Okuribi (送り火) (roughly, "send-off fire").
It appears smaller on the photo than it actually was
Aki with the beer vending machine
More vending machines. I want these in America!
Took a day tour in Kyoto. This is a map of a famous rock garden temple (Ryoanji)
Our tour guide with the map
The rock garden. The garden consists of raked gravel and fifteen moss-covered boulders, which are placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above) only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. It is traditionally said that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder.
Room facing the rock garden. I love those doors.
Map of the second stop on our tour - Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion). It was a war lord's villa turned into zen temple upon his death. It was arsoned in 1950 and rebuilt in 1955. It has 3 floors, each with different architecture. The first floor contains a Buddha's remains.
Kinkaku-ji
Photo of what it looks like in the winter.
"The third floor"
"The second floor"
"The first floor"
The bush is meant to look like a boat.
Kyōto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace)
There were 3 waiting rooms depending on your social status. This is the crane room (2nd level).
I love these doors! The tiger room (highest level).
Cherry blossom room (lowest level).
Imperial palace
"The model roof made of bark (Japanese cypress)"
Traditional Japanese soccer type game was played here. This game had no winners because they didn't want to create winners and losers.
Did I say how much I love the doors here?
Daimonji burned out
Heian jingū (shrine).
Cleansing before entering
Thanks random guy, for being a label for this photo!
Postcard of Sanjūsangendō. We're using a postcard because pictures are no longer allowed inside. There are 1000 Kannon (goddess of mercy) statues and one large statue. Around them stand 28 statues of guardian deities.
Shops outside of Kiyomizu-dera (Buddhist Temple)
Video
View from the top of the temple on the mountain.
Beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the waters, which is believed to have therapeutic properties. Drinking the water of the three streams is said to confer wisdom, health, and longevity. However, some Japanese believe that you must choose only two; if you are greedy and drink from all three, you invite misfortune upon yourself
It was very hot and humid
Yummy custard cream puff on the way down from the temple
Look at those cakes! At Kyoto station.
This is a postcard from Idemitsu Museum of Arts. The painting is called "Beauty and Child Playing with Ball and Top (Detail)" by Kitagawa Utamaro
All the western style toilets we saw in Japan were these. Heated seats!!!
On the way to an art museum
We saw many signs that had misspelled translations. We saw so many, in fact, that we wanted to start a business to fix the problem. "Cfafts" for Crafts and "Libraly" for Library.
Trying to get there
Grandparent's house
Grandparents house in Toyohashi
Door on right was made from kimono
Amazing things from all of the world. So many stories fill this house. Many dolls
What Andi made for Aki's grandparents. They found a frame for it. :)
Grandparent's house in Toyohashi
Andi was excited about seeing this in the house
Grandparent's backyard
Grandmother. :)
Their backyard
Everything is natural, they didn't plant any of this
First time Andi met the family!
1st reception. Yummy food
Aki's grandmother blessed us with this gift of a photo of Aki's great-grandmother (mom's mom's mom)
This was drawn for us. :) "Love story" It had a song that was sung during the reception in it
Family photo that was taken
A type of sushi made by Aki's grandfather's cousin.
Moja the dog
He's winkin'
Moja got a haircut
Moja and his mom
My Fair Lady poster!
People fishing in Shinjuku (a ward of Tokyo)
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
People were filming a commercial or a movie. There may have been a famous person there, but Aki and Andi were more interested in the donkey
Bike racks!
View from the Mitsui Club, 54th floor. We had drinks here. Andi's first view of Tokyo. So BIG!
Map
Poster in a subway station. Notice anything odd?
Typical train station
Kunitachi! Aki's uncle Shuuji is on the right and cousin Katsu is on the left. They picked us up from the station.
Nao, Masa, Andi, Atsuko, Katsu, Shuuji in front of their house (Aki's aunt and uncle and cousins)
Shuuji and Atsuko's house
Walking behind her house
Traditional house museum
rice fields
Well
road
Randomly saw a peacock in a cage while walking by Atsuko's house
Inside a museum close to Atsuko's house that had a bug painting exhibit and ancient Japanese artifacts
Horse at Tachikawa Matsuri (festival) Aki and I went to with cousins Masa and Katsu
Masa, Aki, and Katsu. Fun guys. :)
Taiko drummers
Frozen chocolate bananas
Grilled squid
lunch
Many women participated in the festival
Kids were picking on the panda
cupcakes - a little snack while cooling down after the festival
High tech photo booth where you can customize and draw on the pictures later
You can put them right on your phone!
Traditional clothes. 7,5, and 3 years old I think
2nd reception
Everything here was tofu.
Grandmother and Katsu looking over the menu
call button for the waitress
Since the reception was in honor of our wedding the restaurant gave me these flowers!
Since the reception was in honor of our wedding the restaurant also put gold foil on this for everyone!
Food heated up on the table
More tofu
Daughter of Aki's mom's cousin
"Happy Wedding" Her family tried to get her to speak English with me, but she was nervous. She finally sang Edelweiss. :) Isn't she adorable!? :)
Leaving the reception
Family!! :D
Machiko's professor
Chie (Aki's mom's cousin) spoke English very well and talked to me a lot during the meal
The weather in Japan
Aunt Atsuko and Uncle Shuuji's house
Andi made the giraffe picture for them
More rice fields
Roosters at a shrine near aunt and uncle's house
Name of the cafe where we met Andi's elementary school friend
Andi's elementary school friend (Futoshi) goes to this university (Hitotsubashi)
Futoshi
An old photo of Futoshi and Andi
Tokyo Tower
Interesting building we saw on the way to Tokyo Tower
Andi's camera is a canon
Tokyo Tower mascot
View from Tokyo Tower (main observation deck)
Zozoji Temple
View of Odaiba
We had dessert at a cafe in Tokyo Tower
At Tokyo Tower. Mirrors at the beginning of the wax museum. Here we also saw a bad quality "ghost house" thing called Space Wax. Any ideas why it was called that? We have no idea.
Marilyn Monroe
Madonna
Audrey Hepburn
Julia Roberts and Jodie Foster
Founder of Tokyo Tower
Mao Zedong
Albert Einstein
JFK
Marie Tussaud
Alice in Wonderland
The Last Supper
Mona Lisa
Yoda
Random toys at the end of the wax museum
Aki's excited about this movie (Resident Evil 4) but in Japan they call it Biohazard
View from Hinode Pier
An interesting looking ship that goes to Odaiba
Our water bus
Next several photos are from the water bus on the way to Asakusa
Each bridge we passed was different.
Asakusa-kuso
The Kaminarimon (雷門, "Thunder Gate") is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji (the inner being the Hōzōmon) in Asakusa, Tokyo
Fūjin (風神) is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is said to have been present at the creation of the world and when he first let the winds out of his bag, they cleared the morning mists and filled the Gate between heaven and earth so the sun shone.
Raijin (雷神) is a god of thunder and lightning in Japanese mythology. His name is derived from the Japanese words rai (雷, meaning thunder) and shin (神, god). He is typically depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums.
We came back later when these shops (in between the gate and the temple) were open, but it was great that they were closed because each door had something painted on it.
The Hōzōmon (宝蔵門, "Treasure-House Gate") is the inner of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji
Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺, Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple
Masa's watch
On a bus on the way to Lake Kawaguchi
Fuji-Q Highland (富士急ハイランド) is an amusement park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan. Seen from our bus
Lake Kawaguchi
New Mt. Fuji license plate
This is a postcard from Kawaguchiko Muse Museum. Andi fell in love with these dolls by Yuki Atae!
Museum where the dolls were
This is the man who made the dolls! He's at the museum once a month and he was there when we were, it was so exciting! He's signing Andi's book of his dolls here. He said one of his white haired dolls is named Andi!
He had me write my name so he'd know how to spell it
Aki's mom and grandmother were excited too. :)
Our family with the artist
Aki and cousin Katsu
Mt. Fuji!
Cousins Katsu, Nao, and Masa
Masa and Aki. We were on our way to where we were staying and Andi was bored so she took photos.
Mt. Fuji
Where we stayed near Lake Kawaguchiko. 10 of us stayed here (us, grandparents, aunt's family)
one view from where we stayed
Katsu the ghost
View from where we stayed
Japanese bbq
Mt. Fuji!!
Grandfather standing in front of where we stayed
Machiko and Atsuko
They look alike. :)
Entering Itchiku Kubota Art Museum. It is Itchiku Kubota's personal museum and he designed the garden in the next several pictures.
Postcard from Itchiku Kubota Art Museum. GORGEOUS kimono art! He modernized a lost technique called Tsujigahana. His process includes stitching, tye-dying, and taking the stitches out. It takes a year to make each one. He wanted to make 80 of the seasons and Mt. Fuji, but he only completed 46 before he passed away. His assistants are working on completing his work. They are so beautiful!
Katsu and grandfather
cool chairs at the museum
entrance to the museum
At the museum
Room where the artist took guests when he was alive
Nao and Grandmother
Cafe at the museum
Behind Katsu is a bird's eye view of Mt. Fuji
The next several pictures are from this museum of music boxes
Video of the fountain show from a different angle
Video of a fountain show at the music box place
Another video of the fountain show
Yet another video of the fountain show
Those swans would never get their heads out of the water for our pictures!
Largest music box in the world. It was very loud.
Video of large music box
"Superb view of Mt. Fuji"
It was Chopin's 200th birthday so his songs were played here a lot.
Video of flute and bird music box.
The bottle is actually pouring water. It goes back through to the bottle when he brings the cup to his mouth.
Video of bubble blowing music box
Video of music box
Another video of a music box
Video of music box girl
Video of big doll house music box
Video of violin and piano music box
Another video of the violin/piano music box
Andi likes this picture
Piano wings
We saw a music box and live performers concert.
Violins and piano music box. I think they said it took 250 years to make.
Listening to fruit music box
By the station, one of the dolls from the Yuki Atae Museum.
We went to a museum with paintings of Mt. Fuji. This is a postcard from the museum. This painting was done by Aki's aunt's professor!
Uncle Shuuji showing off his jinbei (clothes that he's wearing). :)
Sushi they ordered for dinner! Andi tried about 6 different kinds!
Yum
Family playing a card game
We went to see an ice cave
Entrance to hell. It said that if you go down this route you would get lost forever
Uncle Shuuji and the ice
It was cool (0 degrees Celsius and cool to see)
Mt. Fuji with parking sign in the way
Richmond Hotel in Mejiro
came with hotel room!!!
Night view from our hotel
All the stores when they were open in Asakusa
While shopping we found a restaurant Masa had once taken Machiko and Aki too so we tried it. :)
Making monja
Making okonomiaki
W-Zero? Do you mean Double Zero?
Tokyo Sky Tree is the tallest building in Japan and still under construction
You're quite squiggly
A Christmas hotel across from ours in Narita
Narita-san (成田山 'Narita mountain') Shinshō-ji (新勝寺 'New victory temple') is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in central Narita, Chiba, Japan. It was founded in 940 by Kanchō Daisōjō, a disciple of Kōbō Daishi. It is a lead temple in the Chisan branch (Chisan-ha 智山派) of New Shingon (Shingi Shingon 新義真言宗), includes a large complex of buildings and grounds, and is one of the best-known temples in the Kantō region. It is dedicated to Fudō myōō ('Unmovable Wisdom King', known as Ācala in Sanskrit), who is usually depicted holding a sword and rope and surrounded by flames. Often called a fire god, he is associated with fire rituals.
Dragon water spout
Turtles on a turtle
A taco place in Japan. I'm glad we had ramen instead.
Ice cream treat with red bean paste
"To 'Samurai', no sword allowed into aircraft" "To business person of the world. Sharp objects are prohibited on board except for your sharp brains." :)
