I spent 13 days on vacation in Japan in 1991
TOYKO - 6 nights - largest city at 12.0 million
OSAKA - 3 Nights - third largest city 2.5 millon
KYOTO - 4 Nights - sixth largest city 1.5 million
populations in 1991.

My two friends who work at Hewlett Packard Tokyo
playing the popular Japanese game Pachinko.

I met them a year earlier at an HP training center in Silicon Valley, CA
The fellow on the left is Itano, on the right is Kishi. Itano was my
apartment-mate for a three weeks.
I showed him around the area including a visit to the home of my
ex-Sister-In-Law and her family. He appreciated seeing an American home.
In Toyko he showed me around that city and his Japanese home.

Shinkansen, 125 MPH. A very efficient system.

Himinji castle AKA White Heron Castle
While staying in Osaka I read about this city and took a local train trip.

Himinji Castle is surrounded by walls and moats. I walked inside
the outer wall where there were chutes to drop stones on attackers.

Koi Pond

I rode an elevator up Kyoto Tower to see this view.

Garden at Nijo Castle

Golden Temple
Clad in gold leaf.

Kyoto Tower, I took an elevator to the top.

One of many torii (arch) shinto shrines

This boat has two oarsmen on the starboard side,
a poleman on the port side, and a rudder man on the rear.

The Yokohama Bay Bridge is an object of great pride.
It even has a Visitor Center.

This temple is the largest wood building

There are many reflection ponds.

The old capital of Nara has deer wandering through the City.
When they cross a street the traffic stops and politely waits.

These wafers are sold by kiosks and are the only thing you can feed the deer.

The last deer photo.

A five story pagoda. The Japanese consider even numbers
unlucky. Tea sets are for 5, dishes for 7, etc.

The old Imperial Palace is on a lake in Toyko.
The property is open to the public occasionally. This is a corner guard house.

Many temples have a place to wash your hands.

Statue of famed dog Hachiko who long after his owner
died would meet his train every day hoping the man would return.

Burial Tomb of Hirohito.

A graveyard.

A Zen Buddhist Garden

My friend Itano.

In Osaka there is a street that was covered over to make a Walking
Shopping Mall two miles long. This morning I came very early to take a photo.
The night before there were tens of thousands of shoppers elbow to elbow.
Fortunately I could see over their heads and could slowly manouver to a store!
Yes, I did go on a commuter train where the attendant pushed the crowd in the door.

Nice Scene

The largest Torii I saw, I'm sure some are taller.

Ueno Zoo had the animals I expected, including a bear.

And a Tiger

I learned this Kanji character soon, Up or Exit.

Many Shrines sold wooden placks on which you could
write a prayer and hang it on a stand like this one. Itano translated
a few as wishing for success in work, school, or marriage.

WWII Veteren's reunion?, the only Rising Sun flag I saw.

Itano next to 18 inch projectile as fired by the Battleship Yamato.

When a temple is dedicated many Japanes Prefectures
donate cartons of Ceremonial Saki.

Saki Barrels up close

White Pigeons

Grey Pigeons

Kiyomizu Temple has a veranda with a view.

View from the Veranda

Me in front of a garden club.

The End

Return to Leo's Web Page Menu