Best Of

Best Of Best Pictures from Japan

These drink vending machines were EVERYWHERE!		In a grocery store -these funny pyramid shaped contains were like a can substitute.


Strawberry and cream sandwich, right next to the ham and cheese!		The place we stayed was RIGHT next to the train tracks.


At the Daiso (100 yen store, like a dollar store) - rubber booties, for when you're cleaning the bathtub		The rice here is priced very high, a protectionist scheme to benefit Japanese farmers. One of the large bags (5 kilos or 11 pounds) is about 25 dollars.


Love the models of the food at restaurants!		Very serene neighborhood nearby, called Mejiro Woods


Even the smallest little strip of property is often very nicely cared for.		A beautiful gate


A view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building		At the food court in the Isetan department store. It was truly an exceptional experience, with an amazing array of beautifully prepared foods.


		Some (beautiful) tomatoes for about $32


The fruits were displayed like jewels		The playground at Nishi-Ikebukuro Park. We went back so Peter could enjoy the slide. A group of kids from a daycare were there as well.


		We did the tour at the Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center. First, fire extinguisher usage


		Also an earthquake simulation


Peter's earthquake simulation was for kids only, and much gentler. The adult version was rough! I felt "shaken up" for quite a while afterwards.		Nice border made of bamboo, at a temple


The temple also had a batch of polliwogs in a bowl.		Finally bought a drink from one of the many vending machines. I was surprised - it was hot! Next time I know that if the price is in red, it's not. Blue is cold.


Another beautifully kept space		A lame small playground, but this little egg was cool


Ringing the bell





This area was to get water and brushes for cleaning the tombstones		Beautiful workmanship of a temple bench. The woodworking in Japan was amazingly well done.


Neat water fountain, that sprays straight up!		At Minami-Ikebukuro Park. It was a beautiful open space in the middle of the city, obviously very popular.


Oddly shaped ping pong tables		These ladies set up a very fanciful scene, involving stuffed animals, little trays of what looked like fake food, etc, and then took pictures of it. I have no idea why.


Beautifully tended micro parking spot		Our place, from the train track side


		Checking out the selection at a restaurant, via their models of food


Ueno Park was a big cherry blossum viewing area. There were large blue plastic sheets set up for people to set up picnics on, along with signs telling them to stay only one hour		Octopus on a stick


Some cherry trees, still in bloom		View of the Senso-ji temple area


The symbol for Buddhist temples looks like a swastica, except not on an angle, and turned the other direction		Many shops on the way to the temple, selling souveneirs and snacks


I asked this lovely lady in a kimono to pose with Peter		Paying 100 yen to get a paper fortune


Headed back home on the subway, unusually empty. The subways are spectacularly clean and comfortable.		The Akihabara neighborhood, previously famous for electronics, and there's still a few stalls left. It's mostly all about anime now, though.


Old radios		Many places had whole walls of vending machines, selling various collectibles


Some of the many interesting buildings in our neighborhood. This one was very narrow		A mini townhouse complex


This Frank Lloyd Wright designed building was a few minutes walk away from our house.		The traditional fence building style is to tie bamboo together with black cord


At the Mejiro Teien temple/garden, very close to our house		A very beautiful looking driveway


The Nippon Foundation held a show to promote Adoption Day in Japan.		At a "love hotel"


We stumbled upon "Outdoor Day" at Yoyogi Park. Peter and Eric in a tent sauna. It was hot in there!


A s'more station for kids		Fully disposable bbq set


Japan style RV		The largest ballon sculpture I've ever seen


A Subaru made front-wheel drive bike		This guys had FIVE poodles


A folding cooler. The Japanese have all kinds of cool ideas for folding and collapsible items.		Another cherry blossum viewing area


A folding picnic table


At the Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine


We happened to come across a very formal Shinto wedding ceremony		The bride and groom, and attendants





A beautiful avenue


It's more interesting to walk down the street in Japan because things actually happen and are visible on the street. This man has a street-side shoe polishing stand.		The grocery store about a 2 minute walk away, we bought all our food there. Nothing was in English, and there were no American brands, so it was pretty difficult to figure things out.


Based on what Google maps shows, this was a foundation.		Interesting narrow buliding


Another interesting narrow building		This is the only place I saw bike sharing facilities


More interesting buildings


Pristine and very nice looking gates were everywhere


At our house. The Christmas decor was a little out of date. There were only Japanese programs on TV, no subtitles or dubbing. It was kind of relaxing to watch.		Progress on the building diagonally across from us, on the other side of the train tracks


Our steps. The house was three stories, and the stairs were narrower than what we're used to, and also the railing was lower.		A parking garage close by


Climbing wall at a school nearby		Very narrow builiding


Homeless man at a nearby park. Overall, there were very few visible homeless, though - maybe about 1/1000th of the what Seattle has.		At the shopping complex in Ikebukuro. The bottom floor of department stores seem to always have these amazing dessert areas. They're decorated like jewels.





At a local department store - this was a whole new category of furniture for me. It's like an armchair, but on the floor. I guess for the low tables?		Visiting with our friend from Geneva, Alison, and her two boys. It was really great to sege them again.


Little dogs wearing dresses. They were everywhere!		Basketball at the park with Alison's boys


I finally figured out that all the bumpy yellow lines were for blind people. There were any more visible blind people walking around Japan than in the US (where you basically never see blind people).f		At a parking gargae/carousel


The house 2 houses down from ours, now being completely demolished		In the line to ride the Shinkansen (bullet train) into Kyoto


These ladies in pink clean the train and turn it around in about 8 minutes		On the train!


In our Kyoto AirBnB. Very, very, traditional Japanese style, including low doorways and thin mats.		In the neighborhood where our AirBnB was - a driving training area


Disaster preparadness storage area under train tracks		The outside moat of Nijo Castle





Inside the castle


The inside moat		From the top of the watchtower platform


Little sticks with nearly invisible string were set out, I assume to discourage ducks		Beautiful gardens


		Interesting bench


Workers were fixing the concrete steps of the house next to our AirBnB		We walked along a little stream west of our house for a while


I saw these water bottles next to houses, all over the streets. I assumed it's a disaster preparedness thing, but then when looking it up, it appears people do it to repel cats!		At a restaurant. This one was not a winner


In the Arashiyama area. We went there primarily to go to the Monkey park, but turns out it's a big tourist area!


Monkeys galore!		This monkey baby was being groomed, clutching leaves in both hands.


Feeding time


		Sometimes they got a little feisty


		Along the Katsura river


We had lunch at a peaceful riverside restaurant. They led us to the one table that actually had chairs - at the others, you sat on mats.





The streets in the Arashiyama district had lots of tourists!		Peter, posing in the style of some of the Japanese ladies we've seen





At a smoking rest area in one of the temples		Japanese style RV


Kenny at the local Indian restaurant. He was very happy to have some curry.		The little stream that runs east of Horikawa Dori. Would have been a nice place to walk


The park around the Kyoto Imperial Palace. There were some CRAZY wide gravel avenues.


At the info center of the palace


Beautiful gardens


This man was manually plucking every single plum off this tree. It must have taken hours


Sweeping the leaves up, with a little straw whisk. This is why everything is so clean! But you'd think they would use a blower or something to make it faster.		The bento selection at a local convenience store


On the Philosophers Path


		On the way home, saw a family in kimonos on the bus


... and a boy in a school uniform, complete with cap and fancy school bag		On our way to the railway museum, we walked through a very active fish processing area


Kenny as a conductor or an old bullet train		The public toilets at the museum had the same fancy, complex self-washing features that the toilets found in most homes do


The new bullet train will look like this		Building an arc


Peter is self propelled on a train track		Why train wheels are shaped as they are


Pretending to be a conductor


At the old steam train		Doing a bullet train simulation


		A kid's meal at the Tenkaippin restaurant, which mainly carried the Kyoto style of ramen soup with heavy broth (which tasted like essence of fried chicken)


This is how you buy celery here - in single sticks!		It's always a jolt to see the Buddhist symbol, which looks like a swastika, but laying flat and turned the other direction.


At Fushimi Inari Taisha, a Shinto shrine		The gravel is very smooth because it's layered on a criss-cross mat. It looks like it's been raked smooth, but it's caused by the crossgrain of the mat


The fox, wirh red bib, is a Shinto messenger of Oinari, the god of food, farmers, and the rice harvest.		More good-fortune sticks for sale


Smoothly "raked" gravel		A fortune teller


There are thousands of the orange gates at this shrine


		Throw in a coin, maike a wish, pick up the stone. If it feels light, your wish may be granted


Most temples had a little ritual washing area		A bamboo shoot


Another one, just poking it's head out of the ground


There are miles of paths with little shrines along the side


Outside of the shrine are the food stalls. Kenny had orange juice, Eric had grilled meat		A really interesting star-shaped lincoln log type building


This was by far my favorite street food - fish shaped pancakes filled with either red bean paste or a custard paste. Extremely tasty!		Octopus fritters. I didn't try them, but they were for sale everywhere


I waited here while Eric and the kids went to a cat cafe		The manager of the cat cafe


		A day trip to Nara, and our first views of the famous Nara deer


They clustered around the spots where tourists could buy deer biscuit		Once you'd bought the biscuits, the deer got a little aggressive!


Run away, run away!		The deer grabbed this map from me and ran away with it. Another tourist grabbed it back for me


This volunteer guide talked with us for quite a while about the sights in Nara. He had worked in London for 10 years, in the securities business		The deer will bow for food if you prompt them


Lots of pretty little canals running through the park and temple grounds		At the Kasuga-taisha shrine, known for it's stone lanterns





		There were many tourists, but you could also get off the beaten track fairly easily








Deer feeding time


Practicing the bowing		The sign says "There are no public trash cans. Please take your own trash with you." This is true - there were really NO public trash cans. But still no litter.


An ice cream vending machine		Most temples had a little rest area with benches, usually with red cloths on them.


This building was made from logs cut in a triancular shape, assembled log cabin style


A dragon protects this fountain		A nice view from this temple


This bench was made without nails or screws


In another little rest area. This one actually offered free hot tea, and was heated as well		A beautiful set of steps. These long sets of steps were frequently challenging, because each step was taller than normal


A stream on the way to the temple Todai-ji		Todai-ji Buddhist temple, with the world's largest brass Buddha statue


There were a group of older people in bright yellow windbreakers who were volunteer guides to the temple. One of them (a former femployee of Komatsu) was showed us around and was very friendly. This is a diagram of how the bronze statue was cast		Peter lit a candle


The main Buddha statue		A side statue - one of the gods maybe?


Crawling through a hole at the base of a pillar. Supposedly it's the same size as a nostril of the Buddha statue, and if you are able to crawl through, you attain enlightenment!		Eric lit some incense at the temple


		On the main road back to the station was a building demonstrating techniques to avoid earthquake damage. Kenny is sitting in this chair that is programmed to shake at the same strength as some of the recent earthquakes


		The building itself models earthquake building techniques. Below ground level, you can see the shock-absorbers.


At the shopping arcade next to the station. We went to a McDonalds here. The cheeseburgers and hamburgers are the same as in the US, the chicken burger was definitely different.		At the Kiyomizu-dera temple


We thought this monster statue looked like the demogorgon in the tv show Stranger Things


These men were prepping the bark to rebuild the cypress bark roof of the temple. It was an amazing amount of work for each bit of bark		This is the bark as it came to them


Statues with red bibs on them. These may represent Jizo, a Buddhist saint.		The road leading north from Kiyomizu-dera. Full of tourist stores, but very interesting.


A soap store - the soap was actually squishy!		Amazing - this tiny, very Japanese looking stores is actually a Starbucks!


There was another Starbucks sign higher up on the building. Overall, very easy to miss.		Two geishas


A view into a lovely tea shop		Peter had lots of fun feeding the pidgeons at Maruyama Park


There were also some feral cats there, which would occasionally make little runs at the pidgeons		He enticed them to come up on his leg, but once they did, it was maybe too close!


Nice bench, but the top was so slick you couldn't lean back and support yourself on your hands, because they would slip		The Shoren-in Monzeki temple.


Some very impressive beams supporting the temple entrance


There was a massive scaffolding structure for a rebuild of the roof


Many 1, 5, and 10 yen coins were scattered about		The woodworking on the walkway built to route around the building project was very well done. You can barely see the join in the wood here.





		Back out the temple


Very impressive stonework on the floor of the temple entrance		This is at Okazaki park. We knew something was goinig on, but couldn't figure out what


Turned out to be an antique car show		Peter had more fun with the pidgeons


I like what the AirBnB owner did with the crumbly concrete around the entryway - just putting these black pebbles around it makes it look much better		Our bullet train on the way to Takayama. They really are very sleek.


Some scenes from the train. There were lots of little rice paddies.


		Our AirBnB house in Takayama. It was very much a mid 60's house.


Finally had a TV again!		At what we thought was a grocer store, but what turned out to be a restaurant supply store - a huge selection of pickled vegetables


At a "cook your own" restaurant. You chose your own cut of the heavily marbled Hida beef.		Grilling the beef at our table


Peter ringing a bell at the Hida Folk Village		This device was designed to scare away wild boars, apparently


Lots of wood-working shops in Takayama, selling nice looking furniture


		Rice paddies, again. I wonder if the rice is sold, or just used by the family? Rice prices are sky-high in Japan, because of tarifs.


		We saw this huge temple off in the distance. Apparently it's the main temple of a new religion called Sukyo Mahikari.


Dressing up in traditional outfits at the Hida Folk Village		Some of the longest benches I've seen


They had some traditional toys and games to try		Interesting single log table


		A snake sunning itself on the stone wall


Lots of houses that are traditional for the area		Some very thick roofs


		They must not have had very many nails. Much of the construction relies on things being tied together





A lot of manual work (in this case, weeding) is done crouched down in Japan. There was a group of 3 men doing this. You wouldn't see it in the US.


Weaving sandals


Nicely designed tables and benches at the rest area		More hida beef


And always plenty of noodles and rice!


A spaghetti noodle sandwich, with some pickled ginger.		The "cute dance"


One of the many nice river views in Takayama		The morning market. Much of it was not tourist oriented, and I think a lot of it was more of a social opportunity for the older local ladies who ran the stalls.


		It looks like this is an interesting, less expensive alternative to the fancy over-engineered fish ladders they have in the US


This temple in Takayama was combined with a playground		Most temples had an area like this, where you would tie your folded up fortune


But this is the first fortune vending machine I saw		This space, right off a main street, had a sign saying "free lounge". It included a crib, complete with fresh white linen and a fluffy blanket!


		Another Hida beef experience, this time a burger


Yea for McDonalds! It's always comforting to just get a simple cheeseburger.		Some shots from the train from Takayama to Nagoya


Lots and lots of little garden plots everywhere


I think these bushes may have been tea		The airplane on the way back had a "Star Wars" theme