Fuji Hokusai
15/11 Sayonara Japan
November 15, 200814/11 Old and new, but…
November 14, 2008
new architecture
old architecture
old architecture
The old traditional Japanese temples and houses are beautiful. And the skylines of Tokyo and other metropolises is a prime treat of modern architecture. In general however Japanese buildings are quite ugly, and look not very solid. What happened between those two eras of achievement? Did the isolation stop progress? The wars? Earth quakes?
13/11 Food!
November 13, 2008
Tsumago dinner
Tsumago breakfast
A reason beyond doubt for loving Japan is the food, especially the fish. The culinary surprises are especially great in so called ryokan, traditional Japanese inns that provide bed, dinner and breakfast. 10-15 dishes each meal. This one in Tsumago – an old postal town between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) – even served beef at Kobe quality (roughly 100 USD per 100 grams).
13/11 The final metro morals
November 13, 2008-
- metro morals
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- metro morals
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- metro morals
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- metro morals
12/11 Keeping up traditions
November 12, 2008
Wedding
Wedding
11/11 Sleeping & surfing
November 11, 2008
Sleeping in the metro
Sleeping in the metro too
The Japanese are multi-task masters. Why waste metro or train time? Can be used to catch up on sleep, or using your mobile. Used for texting and surfing mostly, not for calling. Even silence cars in Holland are noisy compared to Japanese public transport. No forced co-listening to relationship problems or boring office stories, wow, that is luxury!
10/11 Mysterious Mount Aso
November 10, 2008
Mount Aso
Mount Aso - inside
Japan is basically one long string of volcanoes. Some are icons, like Fuji, but also Mount Aso on Kyushu. It is one of the biggest volcanoes in the world, and very active. 750 Kilometers of travelling in bullettrain, bus, taxi and on foot. But Aso did not relent and exhumed big clouds of sulphurous gases. Luckily the Japanese have installed cameras inside the caldera.
9/11 Zen gardens
November 9, 2008
Taizoin garden, Myoshin-ji
Garden, Daitoku-ji
Garden, Ginkaku-ji
Just a flavour of the many (zen) gardens in Kyoto. For me the absolute number one attraction of the city.
8/11 Most metro morals
November 8, 2008
metro morals
7/11 Temple heaven
November 7, 2008
Golden temple Kyoto
Row of temples
Temple gate
Kyoto has hundreds of temples, representing many branches of Buddhism and Zen. What is amazing is that the city disappears completely when one enters the temple grounds, time stands still as it where – and sounds vanish. Ideal contemplation spots.
