The Sun Rises over Nagoya

Journey's end: Osaka Part 1

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:45:02 GMT

After a little over a month of being back, I thought I needed to
write some more emails putting a little closure on my time in Japan,
talking about some of the events that happened near the end. The month
of May passed off very quickly. It began with a holiday in Japan known
as Golden Week, a week which encompasses 4 days of holidays such as
Nature Day, Constitution Day, and Children's Day. It is also a prime
time to travel in Japan which is one reason why I was recommend not to
since everywhere would be crowded. I saved my traveling for after
Golden Week. I spent my Golden Week with friends as well as taking the
time to read a few books. After Golden Week, my friend Zack came to
visit from America, and we did some traveling.
The first place we visited was Osaka which is a city that I have
never been too. I had heard so much about it. Everyone talked about
how friendly the people were and just what an energetic place it was,
so I wanted to be sure to go there at least once before I left. Every
city seems to have a life of its own, and when you are driving into
the heart of the city, certain unique characteristics always appear.
Just like when I mentioned how Hiroshima seemed to have a much more
down to earth feeling than Nagoya although that necessary did not mean
that I was more fond of it. When we were pulling into Osaka, we saw
many famous corporation building over the skyline, such as Bandai, as
well as other striking building. The entire layout of the city was
very different than Nagoya, it had a much more layered feeling, with
things stacked on top of each other and interconnected, criss
crossing. When we pulled into the station, it was already late in the
afternoon, and we were pretty exhausted from rushing to get to the bus
on time, but we had to push on and find the right subway line which
would take us to our hostel. We found that the subway system in Osaka
was not as nearly as user friendly as Nagoya. After having been to
many different cities in Japan, Nagoya seems to have the most well
laid out and ease of use than other subway systems in Japan. This is
due to the fact that one of their main lines is just a giant circle
with other lines crisscrossing it. However, I was also very familiar
with the names of the subway systems in Nagoya as well which could
have been one cause for the discomfort in Osaka. Osaka's layout was
definitely more convoluted though and interestingly each stop was
numbered as well which while as an afterthought could be more
convenient but didn't help at the time. We were able to find the right
line though and managed to drag ourselves and the luggage to the
hostel. The room turned out to be exactly as advertised, it was big
enough for two futons on the tatami mat floor and a small television
but it was all we needed. I always enjoyed sitting on tatami and
sleeping on futons anywhere, and we didn't need anything bigger.
After resting for a while we walked around the vicinity of the
hotel for a bit. The first thing that we both noticed and agreed on
was how much the city felt like New York. We have never been there,
but there was just something about the air, the atmosphere that felt
like New York City. It might have been the cracked sidewalk, the dark
atmosphere, and the almost inner city feel, but those are of course
all images probably instilled in us from the media, television,
movies, etc. As we walked further suddenly a crowd of people, bright
lights, and tall building greeted us. We found an underground
restaurant center and entered in hopes of getting something to eat.
While we were walking around, some students walked by us and said hi,
how are you and then giggled and walked away. That had never actually
happened to me in Nagoya, and it made me think that perhaps it was
true that people were more friendly and open in Osaka. We stopped at
some Italian restaurant although I can't remember the name. We ordered
some kind of pasta dish, that I swear tasted like ravioli. I had not
have ravioli since I left America. Many times when I was in Japan, I
had experiences where I tasted something familiar in an unfamiliar
dish, for example I had peanut butter tasting tofu once even though
the Japanese are not very fond of peanut butter, making it hard to
come across. While eating dinner a song came on the radio, Faye Wong's
"Eyes on Me" an old favorite from a Japanese video game Zack and I had
both played many years ago. It was very nostalgic, there was just
something wonderful about sitting underground in Osaka listening to
that song, whoever thought life would take such turns. It was an
almost rewarding feeling. I wondered how many people in the restaurant
knew that the song was from Final Fantasy VIII. We both agreed that it
had to have been more than if we were in America right then.
After eating we headed over to McDonalds for a Mcflurry at Zack's
recommendation. I had never had one before, how interesting to have
one for the first time in Japan. They had two flavors, Oreo and
Kit-Kat, and what is funny is that even though Kit-Kats are made and
sold in America, there is no Kit-Kat Mcflurry in America, so we had
one for the first time in Japan, kind of an odd occurrence, sounds
like such an easy product to be found in America, but no only in
Japan. It was actually quite good. Shortly after we headed home, tired
from the long day. I think I will end this entry right here, there
will be a few more emails, part 2 of Osaka and then writing about
Kyoto. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. As always, send me an
email when you can. Take care.

Flower Viewing (Video)

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:32:30 GMT

The earth moved

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 06:40:18 GMT

I just wanted to let everybody know that I am all right in case you
hear about an earthquake that happened today in Japan. I have not
heard anything official yet, but a few hours ago I heard a sound which
I thought was just from the next room over and then my desk and table
started shaking. There was an earthquake about a month ago but only my
chairs and legs shook a little. This one must have either been closer
or more powerful because the desk and the chair were moving. It was a
real interesting experience though. It really was like the whole world
was moving. It lasted just maybe 10 seconds or more, it was definitely
longer than the last one. This will be the fourth earthquake that I
have been in since being in Japan but only the second I have felt. I
was not scared or anything though, and I did not hear anybody else
seem to panic either, I suppose it was just a normal thing, no police
sirens, nothing. It might not have been as strong as I thought, I
might have just been closer to the epicenter. Well that is all, just
wanted to share my experiences and let everybody know I am all right.
Take care.I just wanted to let everybody know that I am all right in case you
hear about an earthquake that happened today in Japan. I have not
heard anything official yet, but a few hours ago I heard a sound which
I thought was just from the next room over and then my desk and table
started shaking. There was an earthquake about a month ago but only my
chairs and legs shook a little. This one must have either been closer
or more powerful because the desk and the chair were moving. It was a
real interesting experience though. It really was like the whole world
was moving. It lasted just maybe 10 seconds or more, it was definitely
longer than the last one. This will be the fourth earthquake that I
have been in since being in Japan but only the second I have felt. I
was not scared or anything though, and I did not hear anybody else
seem to panic either, I suppose it was just a normal thing, no police
sirens, nothing. It might not have been as strong as I thought, I
might have just been closer to the epicenter. Well that is all, just
wanted to share my experiences and let everybody know I am all right.
Take care.

Rebith under the cherry blossoms

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:00:44 GMT

The cherry blossom season is almost over here in Nagoya. Last
week my class had a day where we went to Tsurama Park to hanami
(flower viewing). We were supposed to interview some Japanese people
there about hanami, and then report our finding to the class later
that week. It had been cloudy for most of the week before that day, so
I was a bit worried that it would not be the most suitable day for
flower viewing, but thankfully it was a very beautiful day. I had
never been to Tsurama park before, and honestly I was expecting a
really small place, especially since I had never heard of it, but it
actually turned out to be huge. It is probably one of the biggest if
not the biggest park in Nagoya. Apparently it held an expo many years
ago.
We arrived around 9:30am, so there were not very many people
there at the beginning, but there were a few people spread out on the
blue tarps under the cherry blossoms as you can see from the photos

(In the photo box). Some people had a piece of cardboard taped to them,
listing their name, phone number, and day they would be there. People try to reserve
the best spots. In the tradition of hanami, people would gather with
their friends and family while eating and drinking sake. It is a time
of relaxation from the very stressful and busy life of the city life
in Japan, especially for the company workers. I don't believe I
mentioned this before but there is a term in Japanese known as "death
from overwork" due to many people dieing in companies for that very
reason, usually from a cardiac arrest, so I believe times like hanami
are essential to the well being of the Japanese company workers.
As the day went on, a huge crowd of people appeared in the park.
It was really amazing, there was so much energy, so much joy, you
could really see people enjoying themselves, relaxing. The cherry
blossoms provided a wonderful backdrop. The cherry blossoms are very
special to the Japanese. Pretty much the whole world associates Japan
with cherry blossoms. They have influenced Japanese artists, writers,
and ordinary people not only for their beauty but because of the
brevity of its beauty. It takes about a week for the cherry blossoms
to mature and then about a week later the petals have all fallen off,
beauty faded away. This week as I have walked to school, I have seen
petals falling, blowing in the wind, touching the ground, there is
something very moving about it. The ephemeral nature of beauty. It is
something we should all keep in mind. Beauty only lasts for a short
time, so just enjoy it while it is here. The wonderful thing about the
cherry blossoms though is that they will come again, born again each
spring, only to last a very short time. Remember the beauty of life.
Take care everyone.

Trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:10:12 GMT

During my spring break, I took a trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima with my fellow IES students. I compiled all the video clips I took there and put it together here, enjoy.

Trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima

SL (Video)

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:54:01 GMT

Here is video footage from my ride on the SL:

SL (Riding a Steam Locomotive in Japan)

SL

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:56:41 GMT

Hope I didn't worry anybody too much. I am doing fine. I am sorry it has been over a month since my last email. I returned from America safely, and now almost a month has passed since then, amazing. Interestingly, there was not any reverse culture shock at all, maybe because I knew I was going to just be back for a short time. I am not sure, I guess I will know for sure when I return for good in May. America was just like I left it, and Japan was just like I left when I came back. I don't think by any means that I am now a bicultural person or whatever term you want to use, it just might be my personality, not sure. There are still many facets of Japanese culture and society that I have yet to penetrate, so maybe I have just gotten comfortable with my own view of Japan. Anyway, the worst thing about getting back was the jet lag. It really gets to you, since Japan is around 14 hours ahead of America. I got back around 10pm on Monday night and had class the next day, rough. After a week or so though I was back to normal.
      The cold weather returned. I talked to a friend, and he says that the weather in Japan right now is as it should be, so it seemed the unnaturalness possibly caused my global warming has passed for now. Actually I am glad that it turned cold again. It makes me appreciate the warmth more and at the same time there can be something soothing about the cool air as well, that I think I will miss once it goes away. Also, I believe next week the sakura (cherry blossom) trees will bloom. It is something I have dreamed about for some time, the beauty of ephemeral nature. They burst forth with radiant beauty only to blow away in the wind a short time later, a short life, but appreciated forever. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and send some when I can. I heard there are many places here good for Sakura viewing.
      Let's see...any cultural observations. Ah, I have been told that it is impolite in Japan for a guest's glass to be empty, but I had not had the chance to see that in action. Well, I went to a friend's birthday party last week at his host family's house, and it seems to be true. Whenever I would finish my drink, the host father would immediately offer and pour me another drink. I am sure we have a similar custom in America, but I think it is more likely to be like self-serve, instead of the host pouring you the drink. I know it is a small thing, but I guess I haven't had any big eye-opening events lately.
     Ah, I did take a trip about two weeks ago sponsored by the university for the international students. We took a bus to Shizuoka which is the prefecture where Mt. Fuji is. I have not been in that area since I climbed Mt. Fuji. We didn't get to see Mt. Fuji though. I wanted to, but we did something a little different. In Shizuoka, they have a Steam Locomotive, actually known as an SL in Japanese. It is a real steam locomotive, but of course it has been converted into a tourist attraction. I heard that last Steam Locomotive in China stopped running about a year ago, and I thought that was the last one, there may be some parts of the world still using them though, anyway I always wanted to ride one. I mean there is something nostalgic about it, something that connects you with the past, with the people of the past. We even got a boxed lunch in these wicker boxes for lunch while riding the train. The train had nice seats, but you could tell that it was old. It of course wasn't very fast, but there was a lot of beautiful scenery that we passed by. Over all, I really enjoyed it. The Steam Locomotive of course will never be used as a form of modern transportation, but I think that we should never ride anything off completely as outdated. Just because something is outdated doesn't mean it is useless, we just have to accept and enjoy the limitations. Well, that is about all I have to talk about this time. Hope everyone is doing well. Take care.

Returning

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:06:16 GMT

I hope everyone is doing well. I am sorry for not writing for a while. It is kind of funny too, because now I actually internet all the time here at the dorm, yet now it seems my updates are getting further and further apart. I think one thing is that when I was at school, I had a set time and day for writing, so when that time came I had that purpose, but when I can write it anytime I just don't have the feeling to do it. But that doesn't mean I have been feeling bad lately, in fact this semester has been going real well. My Japanese class has been getting more difficult, and my other classes seem to be pretty interesting as well. I admit that there are times when I feel like I just need a break though from learning Japanese since the classes are 5 days a week, but those always pass. I still have to admit that at certain times when I am studying Japanese I really feel good about it. When you enjoy studying something. I mean really enjoy it, never let it go. Maybe you haven't found it yet, maybe everything seems uninteresting, and I get that sometimes too, but like I said Japanese still has a power over me sometimes, which makes it all worth it I suppose.
      Well, there were a few things I noticed and have heard lately that I thought I would share with you. When my Grandmother was here she reminded me how so many people were these white surgical masks in public. You saw it all the time. My immediate assumption was just that they were sick with a cold or something, so obviously they were just being courteous not to let other people get sick as well, especially with the crowded subways and all, but I found out that there could be another explanation as well. Apparently, another reason is because of hay fever, a lot of Japanese seem to be allergic to pollen. They were the masks when they go outside, so they won't have an allergic reaction. I just never thought about it, since I don't think it is as common where I am from. I don't think that it really is the case that it is just the Japanese who have a high rate of being susceptible to hay fever, but it may be just the environment in Japan, the plants that produce pollen may just be more abundant in Japan. I am not really sure, just something interesting to note.
      A recent craze in Japan, surprisingly, is the Mega-Mac which started selling at McDonald's here recently. It is basically a Big-Mac but double the size. It is a bit shocking that it would be so popular over here. I saw it on the news the other day. The thing has like over 700 calories, but apparently people are devouring it. With all the portions here such as drinks, etc. being remarkably smaller than in America. I just assumed that is the way they wanted it to be, it made me think that maybe we were just being a bit excessive over in America anyway, but maybe that just isn't the case. Maybe if they had big sizes here, the Japanese would buy them like crazy like this new Mega-Mac. Are they selling the Mega-Mac over in America too? I have never heard of until now. I was just worried that the whole world is on its way to becoming overweight, probably thanks in part to the fast food business. Well, we shall just wait and see.
    That is about all I can think of at the moment, but one more thing. Due to entrance exams for graduating high school seniors here in Japan, I have about a 10 days break, which I will be using to go back to America. I am going back to my University in Ohio. If anyone from Wittenberg is reading this, and you want to meet and talk to me while I am there just send me a message. You might see me on campus too. I would be glad to talk about my experiences over here, and if you are already my friend I am sure I will see you sometime while I am there. I really think I need it, I need to recharge, and I need to see my loved ones again, it will help heal a part of me, I think. First things on my list is rootbeer and a real pizza, since I can't get them over here. I am also looking forward to seeing if I have reverse culture shock which I heard happens, but I was a bit sceptical. We shall see. I am actually leaving today, and I will be there until Feb. 18th then back to Japan again. Well, I will keep you all up to date. Take care everyone and be happy.

A new start

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:53:54 GMT

I just registered for classes last week and classes will be starting tomorrow. I know it seems really late doesn't it? I really don't know why they give us so much time off. I am going to have three week long breaks this semester as well, one in February for entrance exams, one in March for Spring Break, and one in May for Golden Week. One reason though is that last semester was only 4 months long and this semester is 5 months long, so I think all those breaks help cut it down to about the same length of time. Interestingly enough though even though Nanzan University focuses heavily on their international students, the Japanese students that go there are still on the Japanese schedule which means that their last semester will end the beginning of February. They will then have a two month break and then their first semester will start in April. So it is a bit different than in America. That means that for two months there will hardly be any Japanese students on campus which makes up the majority of students there, it will probably seem like a ghost town or something and then in April a whole bunch of new freshman will be coming on campus. It should be interesting. Oh, I don't think I mentioned this as well, but it seems that the amount of classes that the Japanese students take is different as well. You see usually 4 classes is the norm in America with them being anywhere between 1 and a half hours a week for three days or 3 hours a week for two days, but in Japan they take about 10 classes each meeting only once a week. All my non-Japanese language classes at Nanzan are the same way, meeting only once a week. Honestly I find it a little counter-productive, I mean having a whole week between each class is just asking for procrastination as well as forgetting everything you learned the previous week, but I only have to take 4 classes here though since Japanese class meets every single day so it counts like 3 or 4 classes combined. I couldn't imagine taking 10 of those hour long classes. It would be too much to keep straight each week, but I guess you could get used to it.

Well I was gone last week for about 4 days on the international student orientation, but this time I went as an assistant. One other girl from last semester went as well as an assistant. 11 new students came to study for the spring semester, about 15 students left after the previous semester, so the total number of IES Students is about the same as before. It was real interesting going back to the hotel that I first stayed at in Nagoya, a bit nostalgic. It was hard to believe that it had been about 4 months since I last stayed there. I could remember how I felt and what I did....it seems far away while at the same time almost within an arms reach. It was interesting to talk to the students and listen to why they came and see their expectations. I am sure they will all gain something that they never even expected to find. Another interesting thing happened the next morning when we were set to go to Inuyama again, snow began to fall heavily. I had heard that it wasn't supposed to snow until February. It was really beautiful, but I was not looking forward to the cold it would bring. It continued to snow for a while which provided for some beautiful scenery at Inuyama and thankfully the snow actually melted after a few days. As I am writing this, the weather has returned to its unusually cool weather for January at least, but as I have said before February is supposed to be the coldest month, so we will just have to wait and see how cold it really gets and if the snow will not be so forgiving next time.

One more small thing which I finally just figured out. For the longest time I was looking for a buffet here. It seemed like there wasn't one in sight, but my problem was that the word for buffet in Japanese was not at all what I expected. It turns out which I found out on the trip from Satoshi, the IES director, that the word for buffet in Japanese is Viking (Baikingu), apparently since Viking are famous for pillaging and looting everything. What a funny and novel concept, and sure enough when I was out walking yesterday I came across a restaurant sign that said "Lunch Viking," I will definitely have to stop by there sometime. Ha, you have to wonder who first came up with that term though. I mean it makes sense, but it is just a little funny, memorable though. Well I just thought I would share that with everybody. I hope everyone is doing well. Take care.

Miyajima Island Pictures and more

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:56:54 GMT

I have added the pictures I took around the island of Miyajima. I was truly struck by some of the peaceful surroundings, so please check them out. Also if you check my yahoo photo account, which can be found on my links on this page, you can see more pictures that I took during my grandmother's stay in Japan. That is all for now, take care everyone.

Riding the boar into the new year

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 13:38:49 GMT

I hope everyone had a very wonderful Christmas, and I wish everyone a Happy New Year! This year was the year of the dog, and 2007 will be the year of the boar. There are painting, ornaments, stuffed animals, etc. of boar all over Japan now, as you can tell by the attached photo:) The boar is associated with fertility and virility, so I believe that this year that if we all try new things they will sprout and grow into the fruits of happiness. If there is at least one resolution that everybody should add to their list, I believe it would have to be to make sure that every morning we wake up, we realize how lucky we are to have a whole new day ahead of us, a whole new day to start over, to keep going, to look back, to look forward, to laugh, to cry, and to live.

As I mentioned earlier in Japan New Year's is the biggest holiday of the year. I like to think of it as equivalent to how Americans celebrate Christmas. On New Year's in Japan, families come together, make the first visit to the temple of the new year to pray for a good year, and relax at home spending time with their family and watching the New Year's television programs (Like the Kouhaku Uta Gassen which is a musical competition that has been going on for 56 years). Actually as I type this, I am watching Kouhaku. There have been some really amazing and moving performances. One performer sung John Lennon's Imagine. About half way through, the curtain raised to reveal people from all over the world who finished the song with him. It was really moving, and even though it was written over 30 years ago, the ideals of the song hold even more true to today than the did when it was written.

Just a few hours ago, I saw my grandmother off at the airport. She came here on the 22nd, and we traveled for a few days to Kyoto and Hiroshima and spent the rest of the days in Nagoya. Near Hiroshima is Miyajima or Shrine Island which is called one of the three most beautiful views of Japan. When I saw Niagara Falls last August I did not think I would ever see anything so beautiful, nothing could compare....or so I thought....when Grandma and I got on the ferry to Miyajima I was quickly proved wrong....there is so much beauty in the world....a calm wind was blowing and the island lay shrouded in mist...it was really moving....when we got to the island more beauty awaited us....tame deer roam the island and came right up to us. I think it was the first time in my life that I ever got to pet a deer. The whole island had this very peaceful feeling....some parts really seemed to resemble those images of ancient Japan that many people may have in their minds....there is so much I could say about it...but I will let the pictures do the talking...just check the side panel for several photos. I just have photos up of the famous orange torii which many of you have probably already seen, but I will put more up of the nature found on Miyajima soon.

It was really great to be able to spend time with my grandmother and show her around Japan. She helped me see the good points about Japan and helped bring some warmth back into my life which has been missing for some time....I will always remember our journey, and I hope she will too. Everybody please show affection to those you care about, give them that human warmth that everyone needs....remember that in the new year....try new things....be happy.....Happy New Year everyone!

It truly is a small world

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:27:56 GMT

I hope everyone is doing well. The weather here has been pretty consistent lately, pretty cold but not deathly cold yet. I heard that it gets the coldest here in February with a good chance of snow, so that should be interesting to see. I think I am used to snow now after living in Ohio for two years, but we shall see how it affects things over here. Today though is exceptionally beautiful and not too cold. It is a shame to be inside, so soon I will take a walk outside. I might get off at one of those random stops on the Meijo line that I have yet to visit. You never know what surprises await. Speaking of surprises, the other day when I was walking to the subway from school to go home I ran into an interesting character. It was raining that day, and I was trying to hurry and get into the station when this man came up beside me with an umbrella and started talking to me. I thought it was rather strange for anyone to come up and talk to me, it is a pretty rare thing in Japan, the man had a European accent which I originally suspected he was from Britain. The first thing he asked me when he came up to me was if I was from England. After talking about the weather and the fact that I did not have an umbrella he asked me, "Being from America, I am sure you are familiar with Jehovah's Witnesses?" I did not let my surprise show, but indeed what are the chances of running into a Jehovah's Witness on the way to the Subway in Nagoya....pretty slim I would imagine. The last time I was solicited by a Jehovah Witness was probably about 5 years ago when my Dad and I were living in an apartment in Ashland, AL. I clearly remember this smiling guy talking about it which I politely declined. But this man I was talking to was not trying to push anything on me, he started though talking about how there are so many problems in the world today, which I responded that there have always been problems...the conversation went on like this until we reached the ticket machine and he gave me a pamphlet and said he hoped we would meet again. Over all he seemed like a nice guy, it was just real strange to be solicited by a Jehovah's Witness in Japan. It really made me think that this world is so so small. Just like when I was in Kyoto for the first time about a year and a half ago. I was on a bus, and this other American guy on the bus started talking to my group. It turned out he was also from Ohio. I thought wow what were the odds of meeting a guy from Ohio on a bus in Kyoto. I guess we should never assume that the world is not somehow connected no matter where, everything is connected.

Hmm well one other thing. As you can see from the picture, I found a KFC Colonel statue dressed up with a Santa suit, maybe since he had the white mustache and hair...it was not the first time I have seen this image in Japan. On the fliers at school the Santa Claus looked just like Colonel Sanders. The guy that took the picture with me told me that apparently in Japan they take pre-orders for Christmas Chicken from KFC. He said it was probably something some American executive came up with, you know tell the Japanese that it is an American custom and then it will spread. I do not know though, maybe just maybe the chicken here is better, but if not I can not imagine people actually taking pre-orders for chicken from KFC. I will say though that one time when I ordered a biscuit from McDonalds here, the biscuit actually looked like the picture. I mean it was not all runny, sloppy, or disheveled with cheese everywhere. It was very well made and it perfect proportion. I mean it still tasted about the same, but something noteworthy. I have no plans to get some Christmas chicken, but if you want go to some KFC In America and go up to the counter and say, "can I pre-order my Christmas chicken. It is an American traditional after all, right?" Well that is all for now. I have two more finals left and then this semester will come to end. How the time flies. Thanks as always for taking the time to read my email. Take care.

Why is it so cold...wait no indoor heating right?

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 02:44:27 GMT

Sorry that I am little behind in my email this time. I am doing well though. As I mentioned earlier, the weather here has been unseasonally cool so I though, and even the first day of December here was not cold. I thought it was a good sign. I mean if it could be warm in December then I thought for sure it would last just a little bit longer, but unfortunately the very next day the cold set in. It has been very cold ever since December 2nd. Now I get to experience winter cold in Japan which is augmented by the fact that generally in Japan they do not have indoor heating, sure in public buildings and such like my school does, but in homes they generally do not. I used to question why that was the case. I mean on hearing that one would probably be shocked, you might say that Japan is a modern supposedly high tech country, so they should of course have indoor heating...but it seems indoor heating is something that we take for granted over in the states. After staying here, I think I know why they do not use indoor heating here, it is not that they are backwards or anything of that sort, it is because of the incredible limited resources this country has, everything has to be saved, and energy consumption is very very costly as well as water, every other basic necessity. Now America is a large country and we are able to freely use our resources without much worry, but Japan is an island nation, a very small island nation, a little smaller than the state of California actually, so imagine a whole country of people living in California. Another issue is that Japan is very mountainous so actually very little land is actually livable. I have seen testament to this in my travels, I was amazed by all the opposing mountains which stood in defiance to the areas around them, it was actually comforting to me though knowing that no matter how hard man tries we still can not over come nature, but at the same time it does make Japan even smaller in terms of livable area. I already mentioned before about how many people hang their clothes out to dry to save electricity, the whole nation seems to be environmentally conscious, but of course it all has to do with the fact that if they weren't there country could not survive. One advantage of being such a small country though is that changes can be implemented throughout the whole country must easier and quicker. I was talking with a friend the other day how such conversation techniques used here, such as everything being recyclable, all the garbage bins almost are divided into burnable, non-burnable, plastic, and otherwise, I mean they are everywhere, so everyone is recycling. It took a bit getting used to at first, I would have to think, wait a minute is this burnable or not, or something like that, but it does not take long. The thing is though that I know that Americans could get used to it as well, because if we had those recycle bins all over the country and that is all we had, well we would not have a choice, but the thing is it just will not be that easy over in America, the country is large and all the states have different conditions and considerations to think about, so it would be quite difficult. That is just some thoughts I have been having lately. Of course do not imagine that I am frozen solid over here. They do use portable heaters here, just conservatively.

Less than two weeks of classes left, then I will have three finals the following week. The day of my last final, my grandmother will arrive, so that should be a good day. I will be down with my work and then I can spend time with my grandmother. Before that though, I have several projects to take care of and finals, so it will be a busy few weeks. Oh, as for the attached picture taken on the subway, I just thought it was interesting to see this guy sleeping on the train hugging this huge teddy bear. I suppose that could only happen on the weekend, because the subway is so packed on weekdays. It was just one of those interesting things, one of those windows into life, that you see on the subway. Honestly, I always enjoy riding the subway. It is one of the best things about living in Japan. For one thing, it is amazingly convenient, and another is all the various people from all walks of life that you happen to come across. Plus they put up advertisements and such so you know what is going on lately. Well, that is all for now. Everybody keep warm and keep up your good spirits during the holiday season. Take care

Explosion of Color

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 06:37:52 GMT

As the cold air began to set in, and still the leaves had not begin to change, I began to wonder if anything would happen at all. I was quickly surprised however as suddenly the trees began to explode with color and just like anything that spontaneously explodes, it quickly disappears as well....however, we truly appreciate and savor the beauty that only lasts for a short time. If trees always had a bright array of colors all year around, we would probably never give them half a glance, but when all of sudden they change from drab green to bright red, orange, and yellow then we truly take notice and are filled with an inescapable sense of awe. This happened to me just last weekend when I just happened to walk by this building I had not been to a while, and I couldn't believe my eyes, rows upon rows of color. It just seemed to truly come out of nowhere. Now when I walk around the city I see color everywhere. I guess it just took a lot longer here than it did in Ohio. It has been getting cold here lately but still it is at a point where I can not believe it is almost December. I hope the cool stays at the same level for at least a few more weeks....

I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving full of good memories and a full stomach. I will make sure to be home next time. I never realized how important thanksgiving was too me, just the whole atmosphere and the feeling of going home...but it is like most things, you never realize something`s true importance until it has slipped from your grasp. Since Japan does not celebrate thanksgiving here, I did not have any traditional thanksgiving activities. However, I did not feel any resentment. After all, different countries have different holidays, and we should not expect to receive the same treatment over here, so I tried to look on the bright side. Since I had the day off though, I did a little exploring. I got off at one stop and randomly happened upon a temple called Toganji. I was startled by the beautiful trees lining the entrance way, I have attached a picture of that very seen. That is one thing about Japan that a friend of mine said, and I have come to notice is true which is that temples in Japan just come out of nowhere and are in the strangest places. You will just be walking around a busy part of the city, turn a corner, and then there will be a temple right in front of you. I suppose it should be no different than finding churches dotting the American landscape, but temples seem to be of a whole different function and form than churches. It could just be my American background though, the Japanese may not think it is so surprising, especially since they have been around them their whole lives. It is just interesting to have temples in the strangest places and refreshing. Temples have the since of escapism to them, like they are a self contained world free of the pressures of the encroaching hustle and bustle of the outside. This temple I went to was no different. It had a very tranquil quiet enveloping everything. I was startled by the peace and quiet that seemed to be everywhere even though I had just been walking through a city a few moments earlier.

It was a little chilly, but I still felt like cleansing my hands with the water always near the entrances to religious sites in Japan. They believe that the water can cleanse our defilements, because after all you do not want to enter a holy place in a defiled state. I went over and let the cool water glide over my hands, then of course a small biting cold began to enter then, but I wanted to just savor that feeling a moment. I knew I could dry my hands in an instant if I just grabbed my pants legs, but I kind of felt like this feeling, the slow numbing of the slightly damp hand from the cool breeze, I felt like it was part of that intangible ideal of purity. As I walked through the temple grounds, those thoughts came to my mind. There is something comforting that the water can wash away your sins....I do not know, but I get the feeling that typically in some religious homes and communities, the idea is instilled in us that we will always carry the burdens of ours sins with us our whole lives....like a warning to not commit sin...but I think that does more harm than good...because the weight of sin could eventually destroy a person...if the guilt became to much...forgiveness is most important....by forgiving a person can improve....just some thoughts. In this holiday season and anytime, always remember to forgive people of their transgressions, after all we are all human....well that is all for now. Take care everyone, stay warm.

Meiji Mura Pictures

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 03:44:27 GMT

I uploaded the pictures I took at Meiji Mura on my Yahoo Photo Account since there are too many to upload here. You can look at them by clicking on the link on the side of the page, titled Yahoo Account Japan Pictures. I will be uploading other pictures there as well, so I will keep everyone posted. Take care.

Geiko and Maiko Dance Video Link

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:33:11 GMT

Here is the link to the video I promised in the last post: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RQE0308T It is kind of short, but I believe it captures the spirit of the dance and of the performers themselves. I hope everyone enjoys it. Expect a new post shortly....

Return to Kyoto

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 02:33:15 GMT

Time keeps marching on, and we all know after traveling for so long, we come to find out we have ended up where we had begun. That happened to me this past weekend, when I found myself in a place I did not think I would ever return to, the old capital Kyoto. It was for an IES trip. It has been over a year since I had last step foot in Kyoto, at that time I thought that would be my only chance to go there and see the famous sites. When you think you are only going to be at a certain place once in your entire life I think you take on a different mentality than if you know you will someday return. That is why it was a bit strange going back. At that first and presumably only time, you want to absorb everything so you can always return in your mind. That place will forever remain the same within the confines of your mind, just think how it is to have to return to that special place and find it is not exactly as you had kept it so. This was compounded by the fact that on this trip we revisited several of the places that I had went to before. I tried to take similar pictures to the ones I took before, and I have attached them below. You can see how both I and the surrounding have changed. The most notable is the changing of colors, and the rainy atmosphere which continued throughout most of the trip. I think by looking at the pictures I took this time, you can literally feel the cold air emitting from them. I have to admit though that the rain helped to create a peaceful and complete different atmosphere than to the one before. I came in summer last time, so of course it provided a stark contrast. When you see the pictures beside the change of leaves, may favorite difference had to be at the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion). The pond that surrounds it is called the mirror pond. I heard they put a lot of algae in the water to give it that green color which so well reflects the surroundings. Even though it is called such though, last time I could not see it being true to its name. I suppose it was very windy that day and many ripples distorted the image, but this time it truly was a mirror pond. It was very still and peaceful. As you can see from the picture, the image of the Golden Pavilion is reflected perfectly in the water below. If I reversed the picture, it would probably take you a second to figure out which one was the real one. I found the surrounding area to be much more beautiful than I remember. It was almost something out of a dream, a dreamscape if you will. Maybe it was just the rainy atmosphere that had something to do with it, but there was differently something different than before. Last time, I was more impressed with the Silver Pavilion which isn't actually Silver than the Golden Pavilion, because the Silver Pavilion had a much more beautiful surrounding atmosphere, but now I am not sure which I am more fond of. While the Golden Pavilion itself is quite a sight, I have never been found of such blatant use of gold though. I am much more an earthy rocf structure kind of guy. It is the same for statues, I find the stone statues just to be much more real than those made out of gold. If you worship a gold statue, what are you really worshipping, the god or the gold with all its dark connotations.....

At the Ryokan during dinner I believe we all had a once in a lifetime experience which was that two Geisha and an apprentice Geisha called a Maiko visited us. They performed two dances, one called the butterfly dance the other one I can not remember. The Geisha in Kyoto refer to be known as Geiko, which seems to be a term exclusively for the Geisha of Kyoto where they are apparently known to be the most refined. That perception and image may be because Kyoto is where the Geisha culture is most prominent and active compared to other places in Japan. I was surprised to find out that there are over 60 Maiko right now in Kyoto and a waiting list of over a 100. I kept hearing how the Geisha culture was all but non-existent now in Japan, but with those numbers while not being incredibly high are a lot more than just a paltry few to be sure. It was reassuring to me, because I believe the world of the Geisha is an important part of Japanese traditional culture that should be kept. While I admit traditions can sometimes hold you back, there are some that should always be retained both for their strengths as well as for their ability to connect you with a long history, a distant refreshing time. Oh one more thing, I am pretty sure I do not have to mention this but just in case. I know that in the West, Geisha sometimes have connotations of being prostitutes, but the word Geisha literally means person of the arts. They are well known in their singing, dancing, and conversation abilities, so the correct image should be that of a professional highly refined performer which I admit the Geiko and Maiko that I met and saw lived up to that image beautifully. The dances were very elegant in my opinion and their graceful moves translated well with the swaying of their kimono. Afterwards, they all came and talked to us. They spoke in Japanese of course though which made it a bit difficult, but I could see that everyone was excited. You could really tell the difference between the apprentice Maiko and the full fledged Geiko. One of the Geiko had a very calm professional attitude and her laugh seemed like one she had perfected over countless attempts. Ha, it was actually must easier to talk to the Maiko, she was only 16 actually, so she had only been in training a year. After a girl finished compulsory middle school at the age of 15 she will then became an apprentice Geiko known as a Maiko until the age of 20 were then she will become a full fledged Geiko. It seems to be a very strenuous life. They said they only get 2 days off out of a whole month. Also it is a very exclusive society. You have to have connections and a lot of money in order to see a Geiko perform and chat with them. Only the high society such as presidents of companies, professors, etc. have access to them. Nevertheless, it seems they are highly requested. That is why I mentioned how it was probably a once in a lifetime chance for all of us. Luckily the ryokan owners have connections with the Geiko, also since there were about 30 of us I am assuming that all together could make up for the most likely expensive fees. Since the IES program always takes their students to the same ryokan in Kyoto, those students get to met them, so if any potential study abroad students are reading this then that can be one of the many pluses of going through IES to Nanzan. I have a video I recorded of one of their dances, and I will be sure to upload it next week, so everyone can take a look. One last thing I remember is that their elaborate kimonos can only be put on with the help of professionals whose job is just that, apparently it is a very complicated process. The same goes for their hair style, they have to go every week in order to have the hair made up in their particular way, it is very easy to be messed up so they have to sleep on a special neck pillow at night which is very uncomfortable but helps to maintain the hair`s shape. If their hair gets messed up they have to go through the hours process again to make it right again. It is amazing how much effort and time those women put into their profession.

So as far as highlights go, meeting the Geiko and Maiko are at the top of the list. It helped make this trip to Kyoto have its own distinctive stamp. Now that I have been twice it seems I will be going a few more times. I plan on taking my grandmother there when she comes to Japan, because I believe Kyoto has some very representative places of traditional culture. Well, that is all for now. I hope everyone is keeping warm and staying healthy. Take care.

The signs of the coming winter

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 03:43:34 GMT

I hope wherever you are, you are all keeping warm. Although I say that, it still has not got really cold here, but I can feel it getting steady colder each day, probably will not be much longer until it is jacket weather. Actually though, I am kind of looking forward to it. There is something comforting about the cold weather, maybe it is just from the feeling of being in a warm place after freezing outside. You know like when you can drink a warm drink and look outside, thinking, writing, reading, things like that. Of course, I am saying this now, but we shall see how I feel when it really starts to get cold. I do not think it is going to get as cold as Ohio though which is a good thing. Probably all my fond memories of the cold come from Alabama and not Ohio, haha. When I went to Ohio, I meet a new definition of cold. The coming of cold also signifies the coming of Christmas though, and just like in America where the Christmas decorations are put up way too early, they are already up around the city, decorated Christmas trees and the light post lamps that are ubiquitous everywhere it seems. Christmas is not really celebrated here in Japan, kind of like Halloween which I mentioned last time, a good holiday to buy things, but nothing else. People do not even get off work. The great thing is though is that my grandmother is coming to visit me during winter break, and she will be here on Christmas. I could not have asked for a better present. With her here, I am sure it will surely feel like Christmas. Every Christmas we would have a big gathering and delicious feast prepared by my grandmother. Good times, good times....This is my grandmother's first time leaving the country, and I really appreciate her effort. I am going to do my best to ensure that she has a wonderful and memorable experience here.

Well last week I had my two day break, the equivalent of my thanksgiving break since I do not have one this year. There is a day called Thanksgiving Labor Day which is actually the day of Thanksgiving which I will get out for, but only that day, which is a Thursday. I do no know what I will do. I am still trying to think of something to do that will give me that Thanksgiving feeling. During the break I went to a lot of places, and I walked a lot, an incredible amount. I walked over 10 miles I think, my feet have the blisters to prove it. The first place where I did a lot of walking was Meiji Mura which was the park I mentioned last time which held a lot of buildings from the Meiji era. It was actually very impressive. The buildings were very well preserved. The park was much larger than I imagined also, it took several hours, most of the day to cover the whole area. It really felt like you had stepped back in time. It was real interesting how some houses were whole-sale copied from European tastes in design which should not be surprising considering the feeling and ideas behind the Meiji era. But what I was wondering is how must it have been to the Japanese who lived in that kind of house during that time, I mean to live in a completely European manner in a Japanese land. It is like if a traditional Japanese house were dropped in America, and Americans were told to live in it everyday and to function in the house in the proper manner. It would be a little difficult I think. I wish I could go back in time and see how the people lived. It would be real interesting to see. Not all the houses reflected the European influence though, there were a lot of other types of buildings, such as the telephone office, schools, and traditional style houses. It was a real fun time, and I would like to go again some day.

The next day I went to Nagoya Port. I have been meaning to go. I heard that it was real beautiful there, plus I thought it might have a relaxing atmosphere, being next to the sea, and I was right. I attached some photos which I feel capture some of the beauty of the place. It was early in the morning when I arrived and a nice breeze blew through the area, it felt so peaceful. The whole atmosphere had the feeling of a port, it was so much more earthy and real compared to say Sakae the downtown shopping district of Nagoya. I walked so much there, by the time the day was over I believe I had covered most of the area. I was so exhausted. I spent my Sunday at home recovering. I actually was a little tired of exploring. Seeing so many places as well as going through the nameless crowds can really put a toll on you. I think living here in Japan, in the big cities at least, really puts a strain on the people here. That must be why Karaoke places, cafes, and bars are so popular here. After going through the week in these conditions, with the hustle and bustle of daily life, they need time to unwind. Probably a testament to that, is that while the subways are simply jam packed in the morning and evening when people are going to and from work and school, at night it is virtually empty. It is quite startling. I wondered where everybody was, they are probably at home resting or in some cafe with friends or something. Well, we all need a little time to unwind right. Well that is all for now. Everyone try to enjoy everyday, everyday can be enjoyable if we want it to be. Take care.

Happy Halloween!

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 02:19:44 GMT

It is finally starting to cool down here. It seems like the cold weather will never come, although I am not complaining. I just really look forward to the changing of the leaves, but it seems like it will take just a little bit longer than I expected. However right now, I am enjoying the cool morning air, as I walk out the door on the way to school. The kind of weather where it is not too hot and not too cold. I wish everyone well in Ohio where I heard the cold weather set in quite some time ago. I am assuming that Alabama is still not too cold at this time. I remember when I stepped off the plane in Birmingham during my freshman thanksgiving break. Since I had been in Ohio for the past few months, I was shocked by the warmth I encountered. It was a great feeling. I am not saying that cold weather is necessary a bad thing though, I like both, each has there good points....well enough about the weather I suppose.

Oh, I almost forgot, Happy Halloween! Halloween is not celebrated so much here. I mean it is kind of strange, it is like they took all the marketing but left out the trick or treating. Isn`t trick or treating and dressing up in costumes the real point and fun of Halloween? I mean in the stores around here you would see Jack-o-lanterns and such and signs says Halloween, but no one really celebrates it. I wonder why they would even bother to put up anything at all. The cynical approach would be that they are just trying to sell things that are cool [Western], and the positive side could be that they are just trying to give people a chance to partake in a celebration even if it just a Halloween party with no trick or treating or costumes. Since Sakura, my host sister, goes to an international school, however, they did dress up and received some candy. Sakura who is a big Disney fan (Disney seems to be incredibly popular here in Japan, maybe just maybe even more than in America) dressed up as Princess Jasmine from Aladdin. What really made my day was when I was studying in my room, and Sakura came in and said Happy Halloween and gave me a small bag full of candy. It looks like I was able to get some candy on Halloween after all. I have been wondering what my little brother and sister will dress up as this year. My little brother was Batman and my little sister was I suppose you would call a Corpse or Zombie Bride. Halloween may be over all ready for me, but everyone enjoy and have a good time. I am sure we all have memories of Halloween from our childhood, so let`s make sure the new generations do too.

I went to the Toyota Plant last week, as I mentioned before. It was pretty much as I expected, very organized, very clean, and efficient. What surprised me though was the speed of proficiency of the robots that do the wielding. They were very precise and fast. I suppose I can the useful of them. The human workers where very diligent as well though. It looks like it is a demanding job. It was also pretty interesting to see a car being put together piece by piece and the process that goes with it. You never really think about all these workers that put their sweat into making the vehicles we drive everyday. In fact, everything single thing that we have. Seeing the factory reminded me of the Honda plant in Alabama where many people I know have started working at. I was wondering if the conditions and process of production was similar. After we toured the factory, we went to their Exhibition Hall which they showed some of their inventions and vehicles. I got to see how a Hybrid Car functions, and I really would like to consider getting one in the future. Although it seems that right Hybrid Cars only make up 1 percent of their total output. I do not know the prices on them, but I am assuming they are too high for most consumers. I hope in the future a more cost friendly version can be produced. It would help to get our natural resources back in line. In the main hall they had something called a Partner Robot which they envision as being able to help out the elderly and other such people in the future. Right now it has limited capability, but the articulation was still impressive. As a demonstration they had it play a trumpet. It would sway to the music and wave its hand to the crowd. I was struck by how far we have come, but also at the same time I remember the old World Fairs which took place 50 or 60 years ago which had a bold vision of the future, and of course we are not even close to that point that was envisioned even 50 years ago, so I still think we will and need to take it one step at a time. Afterwards there was a conference where the students could ask some Toyota employees some questions. The guys were pretty funny. They gave us all note pads with the Toyota F1 car on it. They said that they entered the F1 four years ago, and that is has not been going well. They said it represented their fighting spirit and hoped we would remember it. Whenever I look at it, I will remember that we all need a fighting spirit, we all need to take on things even if they seem impossible.

　　 I had a pretty relaxing weekend. I went around Sakae with a friend. There is a slightly funny story attached to it. We wanted to eat some Thai food since we had never had any before. Well, I found this one place, and I could read the first Chinese character which stood for the sound Tai, but I could not make out the rest. I decided that this must be the place. Well we went in, and I just assumed it was Thai you know. I sat down and ordered some food, some Gyoza, some type of shrimp, and some chicken. It was all delicious, but it was not really spicy or anything. I have heard that Thai food is famous for that. Finally I asked the waiter how to pronounce the characters of this one dish, and it turned out it said Taiwan. I could not read the second character earlier, so I thought it was Tai. Ha, well I went to try Thai food and ended up trying Taiwanese food. It was real good, and I will not get Thai and Taiwan mixed up again. I just think this is one of the funny things that can happen in a foreign country.

I have Thursday and Friday off this week. I am going to use it to catch up on some work and tomorrow I am going to a place called Meiji Village where they have preserved many buildings from the Meiji era, including the Imperial Hotel Lobby that Frank Lloyd Wright built. I think it will be real interesting and fun. I am sorry I could not send any pictures this time. I planned on it and even brought my laptop, but the computer room was unexpectedly closed. Please wait until next time. I hope everyone is doing well. Until next time, take care.

Mochi Throwing

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 03:29:27 GMT

I went to a very interesting festival this past Sunday. It was a very local festival in a place called Fushimicho. Oneesan's grandmother lives there, so we went to visit her and go to the festival as well. Oneesan's grandmother's house had a very traditional feel to it. There were tatami mat's on almost every floor. I really thing that tatami is very versatile and would be a nice addition to American homes. It could help alleviate the stigma of sitting on the floor, because it is dirty, etc. As part of a project, this Friday I and two other students have to go to a store of our choice and talk to the owner's about their products. We chose a tatami store, so I hope I can find out more inside information about its uses and if it will still be continued to be used in the future. I believe that tatami is being used less and less, a good example is that Oneesan's house does not have any, her mother has one room with tatami, and her grandmother has many rooms with it. There is also a correlation with the Buddhist altar as well. Oneesan does not have one, her mother has a modestly sized one, and her grandmother has a very large one. It seems with each passing generation the traditions of the past are slowly dissapearing....although one positive thing is that even with the introduction of western food chains and western food, the Japanese diet does not seem to have changed very much. For example, even though they have a Denny's here, none of the food is the kind you would find in an American Dennys. The list is full of Japanese style food. McDonalds is another story, but I think Denny's proves the point that no matter how much you import from other cultures, the original culture's core still remains the same.

Now on to the festival. As I said it was a very local festival, so I feel lucky to have been able to see it. It really had the kind of small town feel to it, although there were quite a lot of people there. One interesting thing going on was the kid sumo contest they were having, were two kids see which one can push the other out of this circle. I have enclosed a picture. Sakura, my host sister, participated three times and beat three little boys. She has strong determination, it seems. Other than that, the main event of the festival is the mochi throwing contest. Mochi are rice cakes. What the event consisted of is that people gather around this platform from which they throw mochi from down into the crowd. Each mochi had a little colored piece of paper inside it indicating a prize. For example, if you got white you got a box of tissues, if you got pink ramen, etc. To be honest, I was quite surprised of the free for all in turned out to be. When I participated, I decided to just stay in one place, and if any came to me I would just catch it with my hand. Well the people around me where shoving each other out of the way, and if a mochi hit the ground everybody would scramble after it in a frenzy. I got jostled around a bit, but I just did not feel like pushing into people for the mochi. In the end, I only got one, because one flew right toward me, and I caught it with my hand. It turned out to the lowest of prizes though, a box of tissues, haha. It will always bring back memories though. Oniisan got about 12 I think. He was really into it. I saw him scrambling all about. He said he loves that festival. I can see the appeal of it though. There are not many times in polite society were you just go all crazy going after prizes. It was truly an interesting experience.

Today I will be going to the Toyota plant in well Toyota city on a school trip. It seems to be the main Toyota plant. I do not know what to expect, but I thought I should not pass up this opportunity. Who knows when I will visit the main Toyota plant again, probably never. I will tell everyone about it later. Well, I hope everyone is in good health. Send me a message when there is time. Take care.

Photo Album: Tsuruma Park

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 12:41:27 GMT

Tsuruma Park

Birds enjoying the sun

Line of Sakura

The blue tarps are to reserve your seat under the cherry blossoms

Cherry Blossom Sky

Sakura

Passion at Tsuruma

Couple enjoying hanami

Photo Album: Miyajima (One of the three views of Japan)

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:54:43 GMT

Miyajima (One of the three views of Japan)

Joseph on the shore of Miyajima (The shrine awaits....)

Misty fame (Miyajima)

Miyajima Shrine inlet

Miyajima Shrine

Miyajima Torii (Across lies Hiroshima)

Miyajima Torii and Hiroshima

Miyajima Torii as seen from the shrine

Miyajima torii view

Miyajima (All the elements combined)

Miyajima from the ferry (Beauty in the mist)

More Photos...