Japan

日本国

Japan

It is our last day in Japan. Matt and I are sitting in our hotel room just outside of Kansai Airport across the bay; we purchased some wine and a beer from the Family Mart downstairs as well as snacks and Cokes for the kids as a treat. Sam, Roan and Ani just ran to their room to play. It is getting dark outside and from our hotel room on the 15^th floor we look down and see the subway and trains racing by, weaving along the tracks laid out in front of them. It makes us wonder if California or the US will ever have a system like this. It has been overcast since we made it to Japan and this afternoon the sun broke through for a while making my eyes fill with happiness and warmth. Japan is not as cold as when we were in China (-4 degrees centigrade) but still chilly enough to warrant a scarf and jacket. We traveled most the day from Kyoto to this stop and are trying to relax before we leave for Thailand tomorrow. The boys were able to get their Internet fix and Ani cuddled up on the bed to watch the movie “Bolt” on Matt’s iphone. We started our time here in Tokyo, where the neon lights shine brightly at night. Gaming places like Pachinko and Taito are everywhere where both adults and kids can play till their money runs out. We visited Asakusa to see where they sold fake foods used in the window displays at the restaurants and the Sensoji Temple as well as Akihabara, a part of Tokyo where a lot of technology is sold. We tried to mail home some plastic food Matt purchased in Asakusa along with a souvenir Sam bought, the woman said we couldn’t send food through Fed Ex… at least we purchased some good fake food! We all laughed when she finally realized it was fake. After Tokyo we traveled via Shinkasen bullet train to Kyoto. In Kyoto the mix between the traditional and contemporary blends well, modern malls mix with temples where people are actively worshipping and praying. All of the temples are beautiful and it is surreal to walk through the lobby of a 25 story hotel, through the doors of a Starbucks outside and step onto the grounds of a 16^th or 17^th century Buddhist temple or shrine, complete with burning incense, stone figurines with hand-knitted caps and capes to keep them warm in the cold, prayers tied to the trees etc. It is an incredible blend of the ultra-modern and ancient ritual. One of the highlights was a visit to the Heian Shrine in Kyoto. The gardens and ponds that surround the shrine were breathtaking especially right now with all of the leaves on the trees changing colors, vibrant oranges, reds and yellows. Sam’s favorite part of Japan is the food; sushi, tempura, udon and duck we ate at the Chinese restaurant for Thanksgiving. One word about toilets too; we have seen a lot of them in our travels. They range from the most basic, a hole in the ground, to the fantastic, here in Japan. I have to say, that having a toilet with an arm rests full of more controls than your standard TV remote is quite an adventure. I am sure some of the things the toilet can do would be illegal in many US states.

Next stop, Thailand.