We have been to Miyajima, 10 minutes by ferry
outside central Hiroshima. What a nice island
with beautiful nature and nice hiking trails. Deers
walk around the island as they wish and they
are more or less tame and seeking human interaction,
mostly because of food, but still. :)
Sorry, no picture updates since the HD on our computer
is full so we can't sync our cameras with it.
We will be leaving Hiroshima tomorrow for
Himeji and Osaka. We will be staying one night
in Osaka and then return to Tokyo for a final
night before leaving Japan after 3.5 weeks.
Picture updates when I get back home to Sweden.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Hiroshima
Left Kyoto. We are now in Hiroshima for two days.
Today we've been to the Peace Memorial Park and
Museum. Quite a beautiful park and a very informative
museum. Quite sad story though. :(
Peace!
Today we've been to the Peace Memorial Park and
Museum. Quite a beautiful park and a very informative
museum. Quite sad story though. :(
Peace!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Updates
Januray 2, 2010 - Emperor's New Year Greeting
This day we went to the Emperor's New Year greeting
at the Imperial Palace. Common people are allowed
into the palace area twice a year - December 23 when
it was the emperor's birthday, Januray 2 when the
emperor wished happy new year. Aiko brought some other
friends as well.
Happy goers to the Emperor's greeting.
The royal family.
Afterwards we went to a Daruma market. You're supposed to
make a wish and then paint one of the eyes. When your wish
becomes true during the year, you paint the other one.
Darumas in all sizes.
It was dusty, ey!
Januray 3, 2010 - Leaving Tokyo
We left Tokyo yesterday and are now in Kyoto. Kyoto
has a lot of temples, so we've been temple hopping
yesterday and today. People walk around in traditional
Japanese clothes. Don't know if they do it year-round or
if it is due to the new year.
Pictures coming later...
This day we went to the Emperor's New Year greeting
at the Imperial Palace. Common people are allowed
into the palace area twice a year - December 23 when
it was the emperor's birthday, Januray 2 when the
emperor wished happy new year. Aiko brought some other
friends as well.
Happy goers to the Emperor's greeting.
The royal family.
Afterwards we went to a Daruma market. You're supposed to
make a wish and then paint one of the eyes. When your wish
becomes true during the year, you paint the other one.
Darumas in all sizes.
It was dusty, ey!
Januray 3, 2010 - Leaving Tokyo
We left Tokyo yesterday and are now in Kyoto. Kyoto
has a lot of temples, so we've been temple hopping
yesterday and today. People walk around in traditional
Japanese clothes. Don't know if they do it year-round or
if it is due to the new year.
Pictures coming later...
Friday, January 01, 2010
Picture Updates
A cup of matcha latte in the morning is good for you. :)
Sensoji temple in Asakusa.
Roppongi Hills at night.
Sumo boys. It is the name of the band this guy and I started.
A tree with beautiful yellow leaves.
At Engaku-ji temple in Kamakura.
Aiko showing me how to clean my hands before entering Daibutsu.
Daibutsu, i.e., Big Buddha, Kamakura.
On new year's eve we went to Oedo Onsen Monogatari to wash
away our sins. :) Here I am eating a green tea ice cream in
my sexy yukata.
Ay! Small fishes, come eat my feet...
At Tokyo Tower on new year, 2010.
Group photo.
At the Zojo-ji temple in Shiba, Tokyo.
Shiny happy people in a way too small club in Roppongi
with way too many people. We could hardly move.
On the train to Ueno Park the day after the new year party.
Japanese people sleep on the train, so I figured, why not try it?
New Year In Tokyo
We have been back in Tokyo for a week now.
We've been sightseeing and shopping a lot.
My bag is already overweighted.
The day before yesterday, Aiko took us to see
some sumo training. It was one of their last
training sessions before the big tournament in
the beginning av January. We were allowed to
observe their training if we promised not to
disturb them. Afterwards we went to Kamakura, about
one hour outside Tokyo, for some temple/shrine hopping.
They were all very beautiful.
Yesterday in the early afternoon we went to Odaiba to
go to the Oedo Onsen Monogatari where everything was
Edo-styled. One could easily spend the whole day there
since they were open from 11 pm -- 9 am and they had
restaurants and all. It was a good and clean onsen.
In the evening for new year dinner we had some sushi
with Candela and her friends in Roppongi. Afterwards
we went to Tokyo Tower for the new year count down.
The last minutes of 2009 the lights in the tower were
all turned off. Then a lot of small lights started blinking.
When it finally was a new year a big sign with the digits
'2010' got lit up. Everybody that was there cheered
and wished each other a happy new year. And that was it.
No fanfare, no fireworks...
New year in Japan is quite different from our new year
celebration at home. New year is really about stillness
and contemplation. Every family eats soba for dinner.
It symbolizes longevity and a long life. After that,
they all go to a shrine or temple to wait for the clock to
strike 24:00. It is considered good to get the first prayer
of the year.
We went to the Zojo-ji temple near Tokyo Tower to watch the
celebration. What's special with this temple is that they
let a bell ring 108 times to symbolize our 108 sins and passions
(I think). People has been queueing early in order to be
the lucky ones to get to ring the bell. We didn't went in
the temple main hall since the line was quite long.
After the temple we went back to Roppongi to go clubbing in
a latino club called Copa Cabana. Some other friends of
Candela joined and we were quite an international group -
people from Sweden, Japan, Argentina, Australia, and Lithuania.
It was quite expensive - 4000 ¥ including two free drinks.
It was a tiny little club and they let in a lot of people so
it was very crowded. We could hardly move. It was latino music
the whole night. We partied 'till after 4 when everyone
got tired. The trains were running the whole night, but not too
frequently.
Today, new year's day, Tokyo is quite dead. Only a few
shops and department stores were open. Some of them are going
to have big sales tomorrow. Not every restaurant was open
either, but there is still a lot of them open so no fear
to get hungry at all.
Christian and I went to Ueno Park for a promenade. We ended
the walk at Ameyoko market and took the train back to Gotanda.
We've been sightseeing and shopping a lot.
My bag is already overweighted.
The day before yesterday, Aiko took us to see
some sumo training. It was one of their last
training sessions before the big tournament in
the beginning av January. We were allowed to
observe their training if we promised not to
disturb them. Afterwards we went to Kamakura, about
one hour outside Tokyo, for some temple/shrine hopping.
They were all very beautiful.
Yesterday in the early afternoon we went to Odaiba to
go to the Oedo Onsen Monogatari where everything was
Edo-styled. One could easily spend the whole day there
since they were open from 11 pm -- 9 am and they had
restaurants and all. It was a good and clean onsen.
In the evening for new year dinner we had some sushi
with Candela and her friends in Roppongi. Afterwards
we went to Tokyo Tower for the new year count down.
The last minutes of 2009 the lights in the tower were
all turned off. Then a lot of small lights started blinking.
When it finally was a new year a big sign with the digits
'2010' got lit up. Everybody that was there cheered
and wished each other a happy new year. And that was it.
No fanfare, no fireworks...
New year in Japan is quite different from our new year
celebration at home. New year is really about stillness
and contemplation. Every family eats soba for dinner.
It symbolizes longevity and a long life. After that,
they all go to a shrine or temple to wait for the clock to
strike 24:00. It is considered good to get the first prayer
of the year.
We went to the Zojo-ji temple near Tokyo Tower to watch the
celebration. What's special with this temple is that they
let a bell ring 108 times to symbolize our 108 sins and passions
(I think). People has been queueing early in order to be
the lucky ones to get to ring the bell. We didn't went in
the temple main hall since the line was quite long.
After the temple we went back to Roppongi to go clubbing in
a latino club called Copa Cabana. Some other friends of
Candela joined and we were quite an international group -
people from Sweden, Japan, Argentina, Australia, and Lithuania.
It was quite expensive - 4000 ¥ including two free drinks.
It was a tiny little club and they let in a lot of people so
it was very crowded. We could hardly move. It was latino music
the whole night. We partied 'till after 4 when everyone
got tired. The trains were running the whole night, but not too
frequently.
Today, new year's day, Tokyo is quite dead. Only a few
shops and department stores were open. Some of them are going
to have big sales tomorrow. Not every restaurant was open
either, but there is still a lot of them open so no fear
to get hungry at all.
Christian and I went to Ueno Park for a promenade. We ended
the walk at Ameyoko market and took the train back to Gotanda.
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