Performers in a park on our first afternoon in Tokyo (before we got caught in a downpour with no umbrellas!). Their unusual talent drew quite a crowd.
Sometimes you just have to chuckle at translations...
A meditative fisherman at a pleasant little park near our hotel
Fancy red phone booths aren't exclusive to England - who knew?!
A pretty little store front we passed by each time we walked between the subway and our hotel...I found it charming, though I have no idea what it says!
Also on the path between subway and hotel - a crowded little cemetary filled with pretty flowers. It just seemed picturesque.
Vending machines are all over Tokyo - big roads, tiny roads, anywhere you look. It's very convenient!
A skyscraper at dusk
Josh in a rather expansive plaza somewhere in Tokyo...did I mention we got lost on our marathon walk through the city?!
An enchanting lantern at night. Again, no idea what it says!
Shibuya Crossing (perhaps the busiest intersection in the world - for traffic and pedestrians) at night. (I also enjoy this picture for the fashion statement given by a certain person in the foreground - can you guess who?!)
A sumo statue at the subway station by the sumo wrestling stadium. It seemed to be popular to get your photo taken while poking the wrestlers in the backside, so Josh joined in the fun!
Getting into the sumo spirit at the stadium entrance
One of my first sumo matches. Many of them were this short - if you blinked, you missed the action!
The winner celebrating his victory
Big stomp!
On the train to Nikko - what a pretty countryside!
I stumbled upon this sign as I was trying to find my way around. It struck me - very wise advice!
Shin-kyo Bridge in Nikko - very picturesque!
A beautiful path from the bridge to Nikko's many temples and shrines
Rinno-ji temple
A monk ringing the large bell outside the temple to signify noontime. It sounded beautiful!
A pillar next to the temple, apparantly holding 1000 volumes of sutras
A pretty statue in between the temple and the first shrine. Once again, no idea what it says, but it caught my eye.
The torii (traditional Japanese gate) at the entrance to the very expansive Tosho-gu shrine
A sacred library at the shrine. Too bad we don't build libraries like this nowadays - talk about a pleasant place to read!
Nikko's oldest shrine, Futarasan-jinja. It dates to 1619.
Another grand torii, outside the Futarasan-jinja shrine
An ornate cleansing station (worshippers can wash their hands and rinse their mouths) at Taiyuin-byo, a Buddhist temple and a mausoleum
An interesting statue on the entrance "gate" to the temple
The mausoleum of the grandson of a famous Japanese warlord - not an unpleasant place to be buried!
The exit "gate" - complete with more intricate carvings, ornate details, and statues
I had a flashback to the California redwoods here, though I think these are cedars. I love the antique lanterns, too!
Back to Tokyo proper - the Tokyo Tower at night
Nighttime view of the city from the tower
A little old man hard at work at the Tsukiji Fish Market
Did I mention Tokyo is a biking city? This is a small cluster of bikes parked outside a neighborhood shrine.
Once you make it through the Senso-ji temple's famous shopping street, you're greeted with the sight of the Five-Storeyed Pagoda
A large specimin of one of Japan's many beautiful paper lanterns
Sleepin' on the job!
Glad to see women still wear kimonos - I think they're so beautiful!
A city view from the Sumida River
Hamarikyu-teien, a lovely garden in the heart of Tokyo. You can stop for a break at the quaint teahouse in the garden and then walk outside to see the bustling city - what a contrast!
Moments before sampling raw oyesters at a fancy sushi restaurant!
Trying to keep the wind at bay near the base of Mt. Fuji - it only got windier from there!
Near the top of Mt. Fuji - it seems the altitude was getting to Josh, too!
Josh celebrating at the top of the mountain (Can you see him through all the fog?!)
Our favorite sign along the trail. Thanks for the tip, we'll try not to blow away!
Josh and Graham taking a break from the climb down the mountain to watch the sun rise (which was awesome to see above the clouds!)
A sunrise, as seen from halfway up Mt. Fuji
Another torii (they're all over the place!), looking rather majestic on the side of the mountain in the morning sun
And the fog rolled in...
A view of Mt. Fuji from the train station. I can't believe we climbed that!
Mt. Fuji heading back behind its usual cloud cover. Bye-bye Mt. Fuji! And for that matter, bye-bye Japan!
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