So begins our trans-pacific flight to Japan. Mmmm. Packaged rice.
I would definitely recommend Korean Air if you're going to visit Asialand. Good food and nice stewardesses.
You can't see it yet, but this will become bimbop once I add the secret ingredient.
Now that we're in Japan we get to travel some more. This is us on the bullet train traveling from Tokyo to Osaka.
This is our hotel room in Osaka. Paul said it's very pink.
Here is the bathroom in our hotel room. It's small. Like the beds. And the people. I feel average height here. I am among my people.
Here is the view from Osaka hotel room.
Another view from room. People ask, "I thought you said Japan was crowded. Where are all the people?" It is crowded. With foot traffic, not car traffic.
Another view from our room. Do not ask me what is on top of the building across the street because I don't know.
This is some kind of clock that was in the lobby of our hotel. I took its picture because a lot of people were taking pictures of it, but I have no idea what it is.
This game royally pissed off Paul. He ranted about it for at least 30 minutes because it's not being released in the U.S. until next year. This is a picture to memorialize Paul's rage.
This is the xbox section in a Japanese electronics store. See how tiny it is? All of the 360s we saw on display in stores had the red ring of death.
They made this game just for me. It's my height and style. Small and cute.
This is a row of gachapon machines. The Japanese are obsessed with these things. The row of machines went on forever, I couldn't even fit them all into this picture. Gachapons are like those plastic balls with toys in them you get from coin machines.
This is a shrine in Kyoto.
This is a temple in Kyoto.
We are walking up to Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine in Kyoto. First we have to make our way through this tourist trap. From the expression of the lady on the right, she barely escaped the trap or she could be thinking, "Ahhhh!!! Gaijin attack!"
Kiyomizu-dera temple
Another view of temple.
Us. In front of temple.
Shrine at Kiyomizu-dera temple
another view of shrine.
That's our tour guide in Kyoto.
Paul is snapping photos of little Japanese School girls.
City skyline of Kyoto.
Bonus pic! Shrine and skyline!
Bonus bonus pic! Tour group and skyline!
there's only so many ways to say skyline photo.
Kiyomizu-dera temple and Kyoto skyline.
Our group milling about at temple.
Description of Kiyomizu-dera temple.
Buddha's and Paul's feet.
The tour guide said I would be blessed with many shoes if I touched this.
This staff weighs like 300 lbs.
Inside of temple.
Buddhist shrine.
Stage outside Buddhist shrine.
Paul and I on Buddhist shrine stage.
Kyoto countryside.
Pagoda in the countryside.
Shinto Shrine
Springs that give good fortune.
School children asking for good fortune. The line was too big, so we didn't go.
Each spring offers bonus points for three different attributes: health, beauty, and intelligence.
Vending machines. Oh and our tour guide with a horse head.
Nintendo!
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
These large ball-shaped things are hung outside restaurants. Green means the sake is new. Dried like this means the sake is aged. I think.
Inside Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
Tour guide and owner of museum explaining process of making sake.
Stalks of rice
1 vat? no, 2 vats!
Traditional vats for making sake.
Rocks used to press down on the rice.
Pictures showing traditional way of making sake.
More description pictures.
Old sake bottles.
Sake advertisements.
You always hear about Japanese bathrooms being a hole in the ground. They are not just a "hole in the ground." They are porcelain holes in the ground!
Visual instructions on washing hands.
Graveyard.
This cracked me up. It looks like it's trying to be a southern style barbecue restaurant. They even have a confederate flag.
Shrine.
Kyoto homes.
Train
Fushimi Inari temples.
Fushimi Inari temples
Fushimi Inari roof
Paul is purifying his mouth.
He thinks the water tastes good and is considering going back for seconds.
I'm purifying my hands.
These little guardian foxes or "kitsune" are everywhere at these temples.
Guardian outside temple.
The famous Fushimi Inari torii gates
The gates are placed so close together as to form a tunnel.
This place is covered with miles of torii gate tunnels. Inbetween tunnels are Shinto shrines.
Resting place with more Shinto shrines between first torri gate tunnels.
Shinto shrine
Stage for performances.
The Shinto shrines are empty homes for the shinto spirits.
Bad fortunes are tied on here and then burned at New Year's.
Map of Fushimi Inari
These wards are placed above sacred places.
Good luck fox charms.
People write their wishes on one side and then decorate the other with art.
More charms and fortunes.
Kitsune guarding entrance to next torii gate tunnel.
A "tanuki" and bowl of salt outside a restaurant meant to attract customers.
One thing I noticed in japan are the telephone lines. They covered the city like a net. Most of our lines are underground, so I wasn't used to seeing this.
School bus of children we got to wave to us.
Large whale in large mall in Osaka.
Downtown Osaka.
The famous large mechanical crab: Kani Doraku Crab
Marathon Man!
That's my sweetie looking cute.
Paul and I at Rock Rock.
Japanese train station.
Shinkansen bullet train.
Bento box with sushi.
Lobby of our hotel in Tokyo
Paul says: This room was made for little people.
Japanese washlet toilet.
Controls for the washlet.
Downtown Shibuya.
The group eating dinner at Lock Up.
Monster attacking our tour guide.
ahhhhhh! Do not want!
Lemme out!
Paul always stood out in a crowd.
Tokyo Tower.
View of Tokyo from the tower.
Bottom of Tokyo Tower
Outside the imperial palace.
entrance to imperial palace. The palace is in the middle of the large park, hidden from view. No one is allowed to take photos of it.
In the background you can see the building with the golden turd.
Pagoda at Asakusa Kannon Temple
Asakusa Kannon Temple
Asakusa Kannon Temple and market
Kaiten sushi
Paul and I enjoy our conveyor belt sushi
Goku!!!
Goku is our tour guide of Akihabara
The media and everyone we walked by were very interested in Goku.
They follow us the entire three hours and took many photos.
Maid Cafe!
Vending machine with canned udon noodles.
Alleyway our guide took us down to see something special.
Shrine in the middle of alley!
Paul poses with astroboy.
I pose with unfamiliar blonde stewardess?
Tour group photo
Strange guy or girl dressed in sailor costume. Allowed people to take photos.
Pissed off nurse who did not want her photo taken.
Car enthusiasts in Akiba.
Line to get into Tokyo Game Show.
Tokyo Game Show!
Halo 3 booth.
We played Beautiful Katamari!
Paul the Blonde Giant
The Prince and his katamari!
Me and a very unhappy Link.
Booth babes!
Very tired on the subway.
Kabukiza Theater
Last photo of Japan. Tokyo Disney in the background.
Woman in curlers on the plane.
breakfast on the plane ride back.
Paul did not like his egg-flavored egg-shaped egg.
