Feb 6, 2019 - Tokyo, Day Four

Day 3 - Kimono Photo shoot and Robot show Our day began as usual with us waiting for the breakfast buffet to open as the inevitable jet lag got me up at 2:30am. However, I am proud to say that I didn't fritter away the morning on Facebook and instead spent the few hours updating my travel journal, jotting down the sequence of events while still fresh in memory to be fleshed out later with links and photos. I had found that MyTripJournal.com was the most versatile and forgiving (free) platform that also allowed you many features before...

Feb 5, 2019 - Mt. Fuji, Lake Hoeneo,

After pigging out on the delicious breakfast including the sticky rice and curry, we made our way down to the subway and our short ride 2 stops away to Tachewo(?) station from where we got to our rendezvous spot a half hour prior to the designated time, thanks to Rita's insistence. That paid off in being first in line only to be told that the bus seating was predesignated! It was a comfortable 2 hour ride with the requisite information from the tour guide which made the journey go much faster to our first stop, a Mt. Fuji information centre...

Feb 4, 2019 - Tokyo, day two

We Facebooked our way through the jetlag and were waiting for the breakfast buffet to open at 6:30am after threatening to sleep in that morning! Breakfast had the traditional western offerings but many unusual items on the menu from pickled fish to sticky rice and a spicy pumpkin curry. I sampled everything I couldn't recognize as breakfast foods - seaweed salads, cold bean salads and miso soup. Then went back for noodles and scrambled eggs from the hot dishes. Coffee was fresh brewed and assorted juices available. Appropriately regaled, we...

Feb 3, 2019 - Arrival in Tokyo and day one

We arrived at Haneda Airport in downtown Tokyo at 1:30pm local time with the unsettling impression that we were landing on water on the final approach to the airport as we didn't see land until the wheels almost touched down before one of the longest taxi to the terminal building (only rivaled by Denver airport!) before disembarking. Not realizing how close to the front of the plane we were seated (being one of the last groups to be allowed to embark should have been a hint) we panicked to find that we were holding up the line of passengers...

Nov 6, 2018 - tokyo, japan

“Please fasten your seatbelt and prepare for takeoff” After an eleven-hour layover in Hong Kong, our flight to Tokyo took off! We would arrive early Tuesday morning and spend three nights with our friends from Watch Hill. My dad and I arrived at their house and we were happily greeted by their adorable labradoodle! Since the girls were in school and their parents were working, we decided to take a walk around their neighborhood called Azabu Juban. This neighborhood was one of the most historic districts in Tokyo due to its proximity to...

Aug 14, 2018 - Last week in Japan

Returned to Tokyo for our final week in Japan. Had dinner with Hiroko-san, with whom I worked at Applied Materials (AMAT), and Shima-san, from whose company we rented the car used during our journey through Hokkaido. Great time in a little neighborhood tavern, Daruma. Also met Uehara-san (Taka) at the Haneda Airport; he on his way to Taiwan for AMAT business. Taka & I were students in the first Ion Implant PI-9000 training course in Horsham England WAY back in 1986 ! It was great to see & spend some time with friends I met at AMAT. It has...

Aug 8, 2018 - Fuji-san & the Clouds Below

While planning the journey from Nagoya to Mt. Fuji I noticed the routes took us East to Tokyo, and then back West to Kawaguchiko, the lakefront town which is the starting point for most who hike Mt. Fuji. Doing a bit more research of the train/bus options I saw we could avoid going back to Tokyo, reduce the cost by 50%, while adding only a couple hours to the journey. We would have a couple more connections between train & bus, but no big deal; could not check-in to our accommodations until later in the afternoon anyway. Seemed to be plenty...

Aug 5, 2018 - Nagoya Toyoda

Visited the Toyota Museum and was amazed at the facility and the company story. Originally the Toyoda Company (named after the founder, Sakichi Toyoda) manufactured the world's first Automatic Loom (patented in 1924) for the textile industry. While in England, researching the textile industry, the founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda, became aware of the proliferation of automobiles. Upon returning to Japan he convinced his father that automobiles & trucks needed to be manufactured in Japan. So they imported a Chevrolet & a Ford, and totally...

Aug 4, 2018 - Nagoya Fashions

Had a couple days before our reservation at Mt. Fuji, so as Nagoya was about half way decided to visit. And lo and behold, what's going on the evening we arrive - A Festival !! Streets were closed to vehicular travel - strictly pedestrian traffic. Lots of music, young men & women in kimonos, marching/dancing, banner waving teams. It seemed like another Japanese festival, but without the floats. Then some 'variations' in clothing became more evident as the evening waned. The next day the streets were replete with not so much clothing...

Aug 1, 2018 - The Benesse/Ando Art Island

Naoshima Island is reknowned for its architecture & art. The original concept, in the mid-1980's, was that of the CEO, Tetsuhiko Furutake, of Benesse Corporation; publishing & education business. Architect Tadao Ando designed the Benesse House which functioned as a hotel and the museum to house the art collection of the corporation; Benesse House opened in 1992. The design focus was to integrate the building with the surrounding natural landscape. Subsequently, other Ando designed buildings have opened : Chichu Museum (2004), Lee Ufan...

Jul 30, 2018 - Okonomiyaki - Pancake or Pizza !

We had tried an Okonomiyaki, 'Japanese Pizza', while in Kyoto, but did not realize there were variations of this popular dish. Evidently there are three basic styles: Osaka style - all the ingredients are mixed together yielding a 'stuffed pancake' entity, the Hiroshima Style - the ingredients are stacked atop a thin 'pancake/pizza', or the Tokyo style - the 'pancake/pizza' batter is poured into the center of a ring shape of the grilled other ingredients; have not yet tried the, Bundt Cake, Tokyo style. Having tried both Osaka & Hiroshima...

Jul 29, 2018 - A City Remindful of the Past and Hopeful for the Future

Had mixed feelings about visiting Hiroshima sites relating to the Atomic Bombing in 1945. Would it be depressing, over wrought, commercialized/trivialized, or, as I'd read of, a tranquil reminder that peace should be the lesson. The many acre site is mostly green space with various works of art throughout. Walking about for an hour or so one is surrounded by peaceful, pleasant spaces. The shell of the Genbaku Dome is really the most painfully poignant entity in Peace Park. Elsewhere the focus is on rebuilding for a peaceful future. An...