Land Of The Rising Sun

With great memories we reflect on this long trek half way across the world. We enjoyed each other's company and stories, and enjoyed meeting new friends. This trip was a mystical, religious, and historical adventure learning about the beautiful Japanese culture and the Buddhist temples and Shinto Shrines. It was a culinary delight to sample the many tastes of Japan. We are left with lasting thoughts on how culturally diverse our world is, and we are one step further to becoming globally aware. I leave you with a few of my favorite pictures of Japan - the Kamakura Buddha and the beautiful Fuji hydrangea. History and Beauty all rolled into one! That's the Land of The Rising Sun!

Syonarra

Departure from Narita Airport was quick and smooth! Pictured here is a beautiful modern glass sculpture with an ocean theme. Last minute shopping for for those Japanese souvenirs, bottled water, and snacks. Our twenty four hour flight and bus ride home gave us the time to reflect on the beauty and magic of the Japanese culture. An old Japanese proverb says "It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive disenchanted" Our excursion to the Land of The Rising Sun was a memorable, enchanting trip that exceeded our expectations.

Tour Guide Extrordinairre

Christian Aleman was our friend and EF Educational Tour guide throughout our Nippon trip.
Christian describes himself as the "Willie Wonka" of tour guides with his quick wit and dry humor. What made Christian special was his exceptional personality, knowledge of Japan and world history, and the way he made us all feel special like he was a personal tour guide for each of us individually. Ever patient and friendly, Christian made our trip exciting and memorable.

Sumo Wrestling Museum

The Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Wrestling Museum and Arena was located right next door to our Hotel. This picture was taken from my 9th floor hotel balcony. The blue roof in front of the museum is the Ryogoku train station. Additionally, the store "Lawson's" was conveniently located down the street for our evening ice cream runs in the 100 degree heat. Frequently we saw sumo wrestlers walking or riding their bikes in this neighborhood. We could also see them working out on the side of the Arena at 8:30 every morning. The Tokyo Edo museum was also next to the arena.

Harajuku Street

Today was our free day, and some people went to Nikko, others went into Tokyo exploring, and we went to Harajuku Street. This Fashionable street in Tokyo sells clothes depicting Gothic, Lolita, Rockabilly outfits, and anime, movies, or manga characters, just to name a few. Young teenagers come here on weekends to dress up and shop, hang out, or eat in the many fast food shops. It really is a great place to people watch. Never a dull moment on this street! Plus they have a 3 story 100 Yen shop that is air conditioned. After Harajuku Street we went to a favorite tourist store called The Oriental Bazaar. This 3 story business has the best collection of Japanese souvenirs at a very reasonable price. We also went to a thrift shop called Chicagos, and laughed at the prices of the ripped American Levis and junky t-shirts. It's interesting to see what they consider trendy!

Nikko National Park

The Tosho-gu Shrine at Nikko National Park is noted for its beautiful carved and painted architecture. You can find the hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil monkey carvings at this shrine. The Nikko Falls is striking against the beautiful lake and green forests. While some of us shopped on Harijuku Street, others walked the serene Japanese Gardens at Nikko. In 100 degree heat.

Tamarac Travelers at Asakusa

After 4 hours of shopping we are ready to head out to our Shabu-Shabu dinner.
This area was a great place to finish up our souvenir shopping. The selection and prices were great, and a few of us were able to purchase beautiful vintage used silk kimonos.

Asakusa Kannon Temple

Asakusa Kannon Temple is Tokyo's oldest temple named after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.
Kaminarimon is the Thunder God and welcomes visitors to the temple and shops. This Shinto Shrine and Buddhist Temple is a blend of religious buildings with many shops and venues. Tourists and natives can purchase Japanese artifacts, and sample wonderful Japanese cuisine.
Best Green Tea Gelato in Tokyo! Refreshing in 100 degree heat.

Meiji Jingu Shrine

The Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu) is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan. He was born in 1852 and ascended to the throne in 1868 at the peak of the Meiji Restoration when the power was switched from the feudal Tokugawa government to the emperor. During the Meiji period, Japan modernized and westernized herself to join the world's major powers by the time Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912. The Meiji Shrine was completed in 1920, and rebuilt after being destroyed in World War Two. The beautiful serene Shinto Shrine grounds are covered by an evergreen forest of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, from donations. This 700,000 square-meter forest is visited by many people for spiritual, and recreational purposes in Tokyo. The Blessed Saki Barrels at the beginning of the walkway are beautiful and artistic. We were lucky to witness Monks dressed for their religious ceremony. Temperature? 100 degrees!!!!

Tsukiji Fish Market

Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world! The 52 acre market sells seafood from 6 continents, 60 countries, and sells 450 types of seafood from 900+ dealers.Tsukiji sells 2000 tons of seafood per day!! With over 60,000 registered employees, the market sells penny sardines to $473.00 a pound sea slug caviar. The tuna fish auction starts at 5:30am with prices varying from $8,000 to $50,000 per tuna! The fish market was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Edo period to provide food for Edo Castle. The existing modern facility was built in 1935.

Kamakura Buddha

The Buddhist temple Kotoku-in is located in the city of Kamakura outside of Tokyo.
The Great Buddha Daibutsu is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha and is considered one of the most famous icons of Japan. The statue stands at 13.35 meters high and weighs approximately 93 tons. The statue was cast in 1252 and was originally located inside a large wooden temple hall. The temple buildings were washed away by a tsunami tidal wave in 1495, and since then the Buddha stands out in the open.

Sumida River Cruise

Our trip up the Sumida River gave us a fish-eye view of the Rainbow Bridge, and the many different buildings and scenes of Tokyo. We observed some homeless shelters made of blue plastic tarps, and some large graffiti along the riverside. The architecture is unique and varied, and included a famous gold statue on the roof of the Kiran beverage building affectionately called "The Carrot" by the natives.

100 Yen Shop

We can't forget to mention our favorite dollar store "100 Yen Shop". It's a great place to find Japanese souvenirs, dishware, chopsticks, and even Japanese music CDs amongst the regular junk

Tokyo Views

From Hakone we traveled by bus to Tokyo. We went shopping at the "Decks" 7 story shopping center along the Sumida River. It was fascinating people watching and observing the Tokyo fashions. It was a wonderful break from the heat. Did I say it was 100 degrees out?

Special Japanese Delicacies!

Our wonderful Japanese dinner included multi courses of traditional fare consisting of sushi, tempura, yakitori, soba and udon noodles, misu soup, sashimi, nabemano, teriaki, tsukemono, and gohan served with green tea and rice.

Traditional Japanese Inn

Our Ryokan Inn has warm rooms filled with tatami mats. futon bedding, traditional Japanese baths, rice paper window dressings, geta shoes, and house kimonos to wear.

Puppy The Carp

Our Ryokan Inn was nestled in the forests of Hakone National Park, with waterfalls, Shinto Shrines, beautiful hydrangeas, and a resident friendly carp named "Puppy".

Ryokan Inn

Here are the Tamarac Travelers at the Ryokan Ryori Hot Springs Inn located in Hakone National Park.

Hakone National Park

During our foggy afternoon at the Hakone National Park, we took a lovely boat ride on Lake Ashi, and a cable car ride to the top of Mount Kamagatake. On a clear day we would have had a bird's eye view of Mt. Fuji. This area is noted for their famous beautiful mosaic wooden creations.

Bullet Train to Hakone

The Shinkansen Bullet Train travels 150 miles an hour past Mt. Fuji.
Fuji is only visible about 65 days a year, and today was not one of those days! The heavy humid fog (100 degrees) prevented us from seeing Fuji's majestic peak.

Ashley the Japanese Maiko

Here is our "Ashley" dressed up as a "Maiko" Geisha apprentice in Kyoto.

Kasuga Shrine

Located in Nara, the Kasuga Shrine lights 3,000 lanterns twice a year during their lantern festivals. This Shinto Shrine has a beautiful 800 year old bonsai tree!
Remember it is still 100 degrees in the shade!

Diabutsu Great Buddha

The Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple at Nara was built in 749. Buddhism was at its height and was then considered the state religion. Many repairs and restorations were made to the Buddha after damage by earthquakes. At one point Diabutsu had his head fall off and repaired!
The base of the Great Buddha's statue dates from the 8th century. The head and upper portion were recast in the 2nd half of the 12th century. The great Buddha stands at 49 feet, and the Diabutsu-Den is 157 feet tall. The current building was completed in 1709. Situated along the Silk road, the Diabutsu-Den served as a repository for 9,000 artifact treasures from the 7th and 8th centuries.

Nara's Deer Park

Built in 1880, "Nara" Deer Park is now home to hundreds of freely roaming "Sika" deer, who have been designated as a National Treasure! In the Shinto religion, Nara's deer are considered to be "Messengers of God". These lovely animals are very friendly and pushy for food! If you purchase deer feed at the park, they will follow you around forever! I felt very sorry for them in the 100 degree humid heat. The park was lovely and very crowded during the Obon Festival holiday.

Heian Shrine

The Heian Jingu Shrine was

built in 1865 observing

the 1,100th anniversary of

the founding of Kyoto

Golden Pavillion

The Kinkakuji Temple is also called the Golden Pavillion.
This beautiful structure is covered in gold leaf on Japanese lacquer with a gold Chinese Pheonix perched royally on the thatched shingled roof.

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle was originally built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu. It was completed in 1626 by the third Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu.
Nijo Castle is one of the finest examples of Momoyama architecture in Japan that makes splendid use of the early Edo Period building designs, and the lavish paintings and carvings that Iemitsu ordered.
In 1939 Nijo Castle was donated to the City of Kyoto, and renamed Nijo-jo. 2003 marked the castle's 400th anniversary. Because of the building's beautiful historic architecture, many scenes from "The Last Samurai" were filmed there, and from film sets based on this castle.

Nijo Castle is a famous World Heritage site!

Osaka Castle

Wow! Don't ask me how I am doing this - this keyboard is all in Japanese! We went to Osaka Castle today and toured this historic, magnificent 7th century structure. surrounded by a moat. You could feel the samurai spirits around us. All 9 floors housed artifacts and dioramas that were centuries old.

Osaka Castle was originally started in 1583 and was destroyed by Tokugawa troops in 1615. The castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in 1620 and burned down after a lightening strike in 1665. I 1931 the present structure was built and the museum now holds artifacts of Toyotami Hideyoshi and castle history.

We are getting a real history lesson on Buddhism and Shintoism!On August 13th, 14th, and 15th the Obon Festival takes place in Japan when the Obon Festival takes place in Japan when the Japanese pay their respects to their ancestors by lighting lanterns for the spirits, and dancing to entertain the spirits. We then went to watch the bonfires on the mountainside from the roof of the hotel. This represents sending the spirits and ancestors back home at the end of the Obon Festival.

Oh by the way we did all this trekking around in 111 degree heat! No Kidding! There are vending machines all over to purchase water and Gatorade type drinks. We use or umbrellas for shade. It is all so historic and beautiful, and so much to take in! Our tour guide Christian is originally from San Francisco and has been terrific. He is arranging everything for us perfectly.

Osaka

Here we are in Osaka! We had a very long plane ride, crossed the International　Dateline, and Bingo - we went into the next day!　The plane from JFK to San Francisco was very comfortable, with fabulous views of the Rockys and the desert. The ride across the Pacific took 11 hours from San. Francisco with good food.
It is impossible to figure out how to post these messages in English so forgive me for not spell checking. I don't know which link to click for spell check, and this keyboard is so different.

Our hotel is wonderful in the busy city of Osaka, which is noted for its pharmaceuticals and textiles located on the Bay. You can look off into the distance and see the mountains where KOBE is. We are staying at the Best Western Joytel Hotel with great shopping areas on the lower floors. We took a walk for dinner to a local hamburger joint and had a great rice hamburger with a great French dressing. Our guide Christian said that it is a cross between a Japanese and Australian burger!!! I must say it was tasty. Tomorrow we are going to Osaka Castle, and on to the ancient city of Kyoto. to visit more shrines and temples. Sayonara - DonnaSan

Packing for Japan

We are in the last day of preparing and packing for The Land of the Rising Sun!
Japan is called the Land of the Rising Sun because the sun shines first on Japan when
it comes from the East over the Pacific. Japan's flag represents the big red sun on the white background.
Our group has had many meetings to finalize details and trip information and now we are ready to go!
The Yankee trails bus will pick up the Averill Park entourage at Averill Park High School, and then the Tamarac group at 1:15 A.M. at Tamarac School.
We travel to JFK, check in, and fly to San Francisco at 8:00 a.m. on United Airlines Flight 893.
From San Francisco we fly to Osaka on United Airlines Flight 885.
We arrive at Osaka on Wed. Aug. 15th at 4:00p.m. and will be staying at the Best Western Joytel. (phone # 011 81 (0)6 6684-1231)

EF Educational Tours emergency contact number is (617) 619-2913
or 1800-637-8222 (and press 9)

To call Japan - dial 011 (international code) then 81 (Japan Code), then 03 (local area code for Tokyo - other cities would have 0 and another number.) then the 8 digit remaining numbers.
You may have to drop the "0" for the local area code if it doesn't work.
Happy packing!!! Please be on time!

Preparing for our Japan trip

We are busy preparing for our EF Educational Tours trip to Japan
from August 14th to August 23rd, 2007. Many meetings have taken place, and fundraising is continuing. This blog will allow us to journal our trip preparation, and keep all our friends and relatives informed about our trip.During our trip we will blog our adventures and upload pictures of our excursions. Please add to our blog and add your own comments.
Arigato gozaimasu (thank you)