Japan

March 16-25, 2007
AC1 YYZ-NRT, NG663 HND-NGS, AC2 NRT-YYZ

After having had a sample of Tokyo on the way to Bangkok last year, we wanted to take a more comprehensive tour of the country.  I was somewhat intimidated by the language barrier, but as the trains and most transit had English signs, we only ran into a few challenges at a couple of restaurants along the way.  We flew into Narita and had a short stopover before flying out of Haneda the next day, which was definitely an experience.  The inter-Japan flights are nothing like North America.  They fly huge planes frequently and load them efficiently – we didn’t board our 777 to Nagasaki until 15 minutes before take off, and we left with a full plane, on-time.  From Nagasaki we had a rail pass to work our way back to Tokyo.  The trains were easy and the bullet trains were very fast, allowing us to cover huge distances in a short time and backtrack as we needed.

Mar 16
Fly to Narita, train to Tokyo, stay at Century Hyatt. 

Mar 18
Fly to Nagasaki.

Mt. Fuji from the plane on the way to Nagasaki

Peace Statue, Nagasaki Peace Park

Hypocentre Park, Nagasaki.  The atomic bomb detonated 500 meters above this spot.

Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims

Nagasaki at sunset, seen from Glover Gardens.

Glover Gardens

Statue of Madame Butterfly, Glover Gardens

Spectacles Bridge, Nagasaki.  (The illusion works better if the water is still.)

Glover Gardens

Mar 19
Nagasaki to Fukuoka

Hollander Slopes, Nagasaki, leading to the original Dutch settlement.

Western-style housing in the Nagasaki Dutch settlement.

Monument to the 26 Christian Martyrs of Japan, crucified on this spot in 1597

Fukusai-ji temple, Nagasaki.  That’s one giant turtle there.

Fukuoka waterfront, as seen from the Fukuoka Tower

Fukuoka Tower.  All of the floors except the top and bottom are empty.

Televised event in Canal City, Fukuoka outside our hotel.

Mar 20
Fukuoka to Hiroshima

The giant torii of Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, near Hiroshima.

The deer on Itsukushima, while trimmed, are not precisely tame.  Plus hungry.

The temple on Itsukushima Island.

Allegedly the world’s biggest rice spoon, Itsukushima.

The Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

The arch at the Memorial Cenotaph, framing the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

The Hiroshima Peace Museum

The Hiroshima Peace Park, as seen from the museum

This tree survived radiation effects from the 1945 atomic blast; Hiroshima.

Hiroshima Castle, rebuilt in 1958.

Hiroshima Castle

Mar 21
Hiroshima to Kyoto

We stopped at Himeji Castle, the most visted castle in Japan.

Interior passages of Himeji Castle are convoluted, intended to confuse invaders.

The moat of Himeji Castle

Sanjusangendo Temple, Kyoto

Sanjusangendo Temple, Kyoto.  Inside this building are 1001 statues of Kannon.

Fox guarding the torii at Fushimi-inari Shrine, outside Kyoto.

Some of more than 14,000 torii gates at Fushimi-inari Shrine.

At Fushimi-inari they really do love their torii.

Kyoto Tower

The main train station in Kyoto is absolutely huge.

Mar 22
Kyoto, side trip to Nara

Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara.  One of the world’s largest wooden structures.

Buddha outside Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara

Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara

Lanterns atKasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara

Lanterns atKasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara

Nara also has semi-tame deer.  Also, hungry.

Zen sand, Ginkakuji Temple, Kyoto

Zen garden, Ginkakuji Temple, Kyoto

Philosopher’s Walk, Kyoto

Aqueduct at Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto

Hiking into the hills behind Nanzen-ji

Mar 23
Kyoto, side trip to Kobe & Osaka

German house, Ijinkan, Kobe

Holland House, Kobe

Ruined house, Kobe

Sannomiya Center Shopping Street, Kobe

Collapsed pier from 1995 earthquake, Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park

Osaka skyline from the Floating Garden Observatory,  Umeda Sky Building

Umeda Sky Building, Osaka

The one Geisha we managed to see, Gion District,  Kyoto

Kyoto river after sunset

Two-level restaurants across the river, Kyoto

Mar 24
Kyoto to Tokyo via Nagano

Rokujizō (six Bodhisattvas who gave up enlightenment), Zenkō-ji Temple, Nagano

Turtles on a ramp, Zenkō-ji Temple, Nagano

Shinkansen from Nagano to Tokyo

Mar 25
Last day in Tokyo

Cherry blossoms just starting to bloom, Tokyo

Tokyo skyline in the fog