Airplane food is still bad
Fresh and happy on the plane...
Snack time!
Alaskan peaks
Beautiful glacier
Alaska Meringue
Transition from snow capped mountains
I understood the stuff on the right of the screen
How to flop your days and nights
10 bucks to anyone who can tell me what this fruit is.
Our first night in Tokyo
Toshi & Takumi
Toll Flee
A variety of options is at your fingertips
Faaaancy toilet!
Ikebukuro
Let's make out in every language!
How's your duck? Is it Ducky?
A form from the uber efficient train DMV
A local favorite: Hamburger with a fried egg and bacon.
Cigarette vendos are EVERYWHERE!
Tom was amused by the "strict" vendo enforcement...
Shinjuku at night
And how is that exactly?
Another local delicacy - Shakey's!
Shinjuku at Night
Ah, young glasshopp-ah.
We stopped at a park on Sunday and this group of schoolgirls appeared and sang a short concert.
A random building we saw while walking
Behind the building was a small cemetery. These water buckets are used to take water to the graves.
Small Cemetery
Building with interesting facade
Bicycles, bicycles everywhere. And no one uses a lock...
Orange Road! I remember that show!
Tokyo National Science Museum, We didn't go in, but I thought the whale statue was neat.
Fountain at Ueno park
Tom stops at a common beverage vendo
They had some huge and funky lookin crows
Tokyo National Museum
I love how this picture turned out
Garden behind Tokyo National Museum
A have a short video of this guy playing. He was so cool!
Actually, don't do anything while walking. Like eat or drink. People give you dirty looks.
5 storied pagoda at Asakusa
Sensō-ji shrine at Asakusa
I think this was a tribute to pigeons near Sensō-ji shrine
Looking out from Sensō-ji shrine at Asakusa
The 5 storied pagoda seen from Sensō-ji shrine
Asakusa shrine
Budda outside Sensō-ji shrine
Sensō-ji shrine
On the grounds of Sensō-ji shrine at Asakusa
Koi!
I love the old world feel of this bridge
Burning incense in front of the temple
If only we all got along as well as Peace & Hope cigarettes
Tommy Lee Jones is Boss.
Ah, the Skill Crane.
Tom tries his luck
Close, so close...
Um, I didn't really need a giant stuffed Stitch anyway, but thanks for trying :)
And sometime not!
This was the Japanese DMV like place for the train. It was about as efficient as the DMV.
A craft worker carves keychain knives. Because I never have a dull, tiny knife when I need one.
Its Colonel Sanders
We saw many, many KFCs.
Lunch we ordered by pointing at plastic food
The Tokyo Anime Center
What the... Sedum!
There were also several Cafe Du Mondes. A very multicultural experience.
Our hotel in Ikebukuro
Kyoto Tower at night
That's some dope hair.
Metropolitan plaza. Below here is the entrance to the Ikebukuro rail station.
Digestive Crackers?
Cake in a can.
Cows on Parade in Tokyo
This cow had a crown..
And this guy felt very strongly that my picture required the crown to be in a particular place.
At least I think that what the gestures and rapid Japanese ment.
Hibiya-dori wa doku des ka? Koko des!
This contract for luggage lockers made no sense. Except for the "no dead bodies" line. That I get.
Tokyo Station
Happy cake in a can
Sushi!
The Imperial Palace Grounds
The Shinkansen - outside
The Shinkansen - Inside
Mountains seen from the Shinkansen
Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen
A blurry bento box we ate on the train
This is how you turn the lights off and on.
Another faaaaancy toilet. But really, is a wall panel necessary? The toilet later attacked Tom, but that's a whole 'nother story.
Our Kyoto Bathroom. The shower room was super cool.
Really? Budweiser? Is that the best we can do for American beer?
Green tea waffles and green tea syrup. Yum, but don't eat the little gooey balls in the middle. Those made me gag.
This is what we almost always got if we asked for sugar.
Sushi Conveyor Belt
Takumi's Movie Poster!
Kyoto Station
This temple, one of the largest free standing wooden buildings in the world, is currently being restored. We went inside, but from th exterior you can only see the splendor in the picture posted on the construction structure.
Amida Hall
Be prepared to take your shoes off about every other building.
Inside the halls
A model of the temple being rebuilt
The human hair rope
Hair rope explained
Fan artists in Kyoto
There are many different types of fans, each one suited to a particular ceremony, practice or occasion.
Ducky Duck!
Me and my "Large" shirt from the Gap.
A Japanese Grave. I have video of our guide talking about the significance of all the items - ask and I'll show you!
Bronze Teacups
Nintendo did not start as a video game company, and is still based in Kyoto
The original offices for Nintendo. All the playing cards are still made by hand in homes around Kyoto.
People buy these gates to show appreciation for the buddha. The buddha in the temple behind us watches over money and prosperity, hence lots people buy it gates :)
Our guide shows us how to purify the area with a special broom
This bell was once used to warn the community of fires and provide other sorts of communication. Originally the largest buddha was next to it, but that was melted down for scrap at some point in the past.
This road was on a steep hill. I think the circles help with winter traction....
Waiting for the train
Pierre and Agnes were on their honeymoon. They live in Burgandy France. We had a fabulous dinner together one night!
How very...nice.
My ticket to ride....
The auto opening pay toilet. Enlarge the photo and read step 5.....
Everything is so picturesque!
A rather important grave in this little garden - I have no idea who the people were though.
Tom liked this display of gravestones.
I wonder if these are officially licensed...
Sanjusangendo Temple: Hall of 1,001 Kannon Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanj%C5%ABsangen-d%C5%8D
Some of the 1,001 Kannon
More of the main hall with the Kannon and the national treasure statues of different buddhas
The main buddha in the center of the hall
Beating!
Well, I'm definately not having the Spitch-cock, whatever that is....
On our way home....
Finally - A sign I can read!
Tokyo stretches out as far as the eye can see. It's amazing!
