Today is a travel day, and a day off from sightseeing. It was beginning to get to me. I left the hotel before 10, got to the train station fairly quickly, then spent the next hour getting my train ticket and trying to find something to eat. Breakfast had been a banana and tea. I [...]
Archive for November, 2008
Saturday, November 29
Posted in Kyoto, tagged Chicago, Kyoto, Okonomiyaki, tourist information on November 30, 2008 | 5 Comments »
Friday, November 28
Posted in Nagoya, tagged Atsuta Shrine, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Nagoya, Osa Kannon antique market, Shirotori Garden on November 29, 2008 | 4 Comments »
I am in Nagoya at the Hotel Wing International. The hotel is new; I have a nice room; the location is horrible. It’s only about 2 km. From the train station. The tourist information office told me to just take the subway two stops, get out at exit 6, and it’s a short walk. What [...]
Thursday, November 27
Posted in Kanazawa, Nagoya, tagged breakfast, pizza, Thanksgiving Day on November 27, 2008 | 8 Comments »
Jan, I had pizza for breakfast this morning. It’s not as good as having butter pecan ice cream, but for me it’s as far out. I left the hotel for the train station about 8:30 and spent almost a half hour looking at pictures and those plastic models, trying to find something I wanted to [...]
Wednesday, November 26
Posted in Kanazawa, tagged 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Kenrokuen, Omi-Cho Market, Oyama Jinja, Samuri district on November 27, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Just as the man at the tourist information office predicted, it was a beautiful day. I spent most of the morning at Kenrokuen Garden. This is why I came to Kanazawa, and it was worth it. A gorgeous garden made even more interesting by the yukizuri, the bamboo and rope structures erected each November to [...]
Tuesday, November, 25
Posted in Kanazawa, tagged Japan trains, Japanese women, Kanazawa, trash disposal on November 26, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I am posting this from the hotel computer in Kanazawa. Come back tomorrow for photos and more.
For the next two weeks I will be traveling every few days, taking advantage of my railpass. I still haven’t decided whether it’s worthwhile. Right now I am sitting on the top deck of a double decker train [...]
Monday, November 24
Posted in Tokyo, tagged Christmas, Ginza, Kabuki, rain, shopping, woodblock prints on November 24, 2008 | 2 Comments »
My beautiful weather ended; although the weather bug thing on the computer told me it would be nice today. Not the first time it’s been completely wrong. I left my cave dressed for this warm weather and immediately returned for more clothing. Stupidly, I did not take an umbrella; after all, the sun was shining.
I [...]
Sunday, November 23
Posted in Tokyo, tagged flea market, Harajuku, Labor Gratitude Day, Meiji Inner Garden, Meiji Shrine, Shichi-Go-San, Togo Shrine on November 24, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Amazingly warm and beautiful day. I’m just rubbing it in for all my Pittsburgh and Chicago friends. And even Kentucky had snow. I picked a good year to be away.
Today I planned to go to a flea market. Things never seem to work out for me as planned, at least not here. Have you noticed [...]
Saturday, November 22
Posted in Tokyo, tagged stiltwalker, Tokyo National Museum, Toshogu, Ueno Park on November 23, 2008 | 1 Comment »
This must be my year to experience everything. First Fuji, now an earthquake—really just a little tremor. I’ve been in earthquake zones before: California and other visits to Japan, been told there were tremors and never noticed. Either I slept through them or just never felt them. Tonight, as I sat on my futon on [...]
Friday, November 21
Posted in Tokyo, tagged Ameyoko, Chushingura, Edo Tokyo Museum, Ueno Station, Ukiyoe on November 22, 2008 | 5 Comments »
Spent most of the day in the Edo Tokyo Museum. Since it was another beautiful day I thought I was going for only a few hours and then would go to the Tokyo National Museum and garden. I didn’t know how wonderful this museum would be. They had a special exhibit of woodblock prints from [...]
Thursday, November 20
Posted in Nikko, tagged day trip, food, garden, Nikko on November 21, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Day trip to Nikko. Some stroke of luck had me check the weather last night. Nikko was described as having weather like Hokkaido, much colder than its location 200 km. north of Tokyo would seem to merit, due to its elevation of 533 meters and higher. Forecast for today: 37 F, windy, drizzle, feels like [...]
