Final Japan images

These last images were taken throughout our trip, but didn't really fit into any of my previous posts. Some are beautiful, some are funny, and some just epitomize some aspect of Japan to me.

Reflection in the koi pond at our first (and favorite) hotel, The Prince Sakura Tower in Shinagawa.

Pretty typical Tokyo street fashion: short skirts, over the knee (or thigh) socks or boots, and brightly colored high heels.

The morning commute.

Many, many people in Japan wear masks to protect themselves from illness. This little girl, in her school uniform, had a knit mask on. Hard to understand how that could be in any way effective, but she sure was cute.

A perfect example of the reason things make me all wanty in Japan. I mean, come on! How cute are these?! Just seems like breakfast would be a lot more fun if it was cooked in these pots every morning!

The very efficient JR (Japan Rail) system. Loved it. We never waited for a train more than a minute or so, no matter where we were going.

The thumbs up from my seasoned traveller.

I wish I could have snapped more pics of the shoes I saw on the street. Most were much flashier than these, but the style here is so unique. Heel height typical.

While in Tokyo, I got a massage at our hotel spa. I just love the wording on the contract I had to sign, especially the "escape clause". It all seems perfectly reasonable, I was just tickled by the translation.

A beauty in the lobby of our hotel in Kyoto. Our hotel seemed like a popular place for weddings, so we got to see a lot of beautiful kimonos and the like there.

A view of one of the covered markets in Kyoto. We stumbled upon this one our first night there and just loved it. It's basically a narrow street that has been covered for a span of several blocks and is crammed with stalls full of fresh fish, produce, sweets, and a few restaurants.

Cloth sushi from one of the stalls in the market above.

Ever the ham; this time at a Christmas display in a department store.

Guarding a temple in Kyoto.

One section of a tiny shop in Nara that sold nothing but brushes.

Beautiful treats at a shop in Nara.

Anna fell in love with the tiny candies they serve at tea ceremonies. Made of rice flour and sugar, the are sculpted into beautiful flowers and leaves. Here she finally convinced me to buy her one as a treat for the train back to Tokyo from Kyoto. Smart girl!

Tsukiji Fish Market and Ginza

Saturday was my favorite day yet in Tokyo. The three of us headed to the famed Tsukiji Fish Market for a breakfast of extraordinarily fresh sushi and to sightsee. We didn't make it in time for the 5am auction, but given the previous days of jetlag, I was grateful for the extra hour of sleep.

The market itself is really a cluster of narrow streets packed with all sorts of food vendors, although the emphasis is on all varieties of seafood.










Not entirely sure what that is, or why it's there. Not sure I want to know.















Practicing her Japanese.






Afterwards, David went to his conference while Anna and I headed to Ginza for more adventuring. It happened to be Saturday, which meant that the main boulevard was closed to traffic, turning the wide street into a pedestrian walkway for blocks. We window shopped, met a friendly bear, examined strange foods (both real and plastic), and ran down the middle of the street. It really could not have been a more perfect day.

Tokyo Children’s Castle

Yesterday Anna and I spent the day with Noriko while David attended the conference that brought us to Tokyo.

In the morning we attended a traditional Japanese tea ceremony at the Hotel Okura. Honestly, it wasn't my favorite way to spend our time here, but I'm glad we tried it. Now we know.

The highlight of the day was a trip to the Children’s Castle, a building with 5 floors of activities for kids. Anna was definitely in need of a little kid time and Noriko was a great sport. The best part for me was the amazing architecture all around us. That holds true for Tokyo in general, by the way. Amazing architecture everywhere. You'll notice a lot of reflections in these shots, too—a recurring theme in my architectural photography.