Japan - 2007

Japan Trip 2007 Arrival in Japan after a 13-hour flight and 20 hours of travel. We're ready!

Japan Trip 2007: Our wonderful friends, Mr. and Mrs. Kurashi and Wada-san and Nelida. Our first meal in Japan after 22 hours of travelling!

Japan Trip 2007, The Kuraishi home. Thank you for your love and hospitality! You are wonderful! "Father" Kuraishi-san and Okaa-san.

Japan Trip 2007 Mrs. (Mother) Kuraishi. One of the best mothers in the world!

Japan Trip 2007 Kuraishi-san's home. Fantastic memories of staying with a fantastic family! In 1977 and 2007! We love you and hope to see you again!

Japan Trip 2007, We are dining at a Kaiten Zushi (sushi on a conveyor belt) restaurant with Mr. and Mrs. Kuraishi--in Asakusa (in Tokyo).

Japan Trip 2007, Brendan loves sushi!

Japan Trip 2007 The front window of the sushi restaurant.

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa street scene

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa shopping arcade.

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa street scene, before the festival and big fireworks.

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa shrine gate

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa streets & shrine

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa shrine

Japan Trip 2007 Asakusa streets & shrine

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with his new fan, a useful item in Tokyo during the summer.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan in front of one of the beautiful rolling doors in Asakusa (covering a shop).

Japan Trip 2007 Dinner possibilities on display at a restaurant in Asakusa

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan at the Ryokan Shigetsu in Asakusa (the inn we stayed at). A pleasant and worthwhile place to stay.

Japan Trip 2007 Finding information at the train station with Naoko and her husband.

Japan Trip 2007 Meiji Jingu Park with friends Naoko, her husband, and Mrs. Sugita!

Japan Trip 2007 Meiji Jingu Park

Japan Trip 2007 View of Tokyo from Roppongi Hills Towers (too bad it was a rainy and hazy day--Tokyo goes on forever!

Japan Trip 2007 Our very SPECIAL friends, Naoko and Mrs. Sugita. Thank you for the wonderful Sunday together!

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan at the entrance to the Ghibli Museum. Those are soot-sprites in the small opening!

Japan Trip 2007 Ghibli Museum grounds

Japan Trip 2007 With our friend Mariko and her family. Mariko is too funny!

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping arcade in Nakano (just west of Tokyo)

Japan Trip 2007 Mariko's daughter and GRAND-daughter with Brendan. Mariko is an OBAA-chan??

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with Mariko and Mariko's grand-daughter at the train station.

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping in Nakano

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping with Mariko

Japan Trip 2007 A quiet early morning at a shopping arcade in Asakusa (Tokyo).

Japan Trip 2007 Anime (animation) store in Nakano

Japan Trip 2007 One of Brendan's favorite trains, the Azusa to Matsumoto from Shinjuku (in Tokyo).

Japan Trip 2007 A view of the countryside from the train.

Japan Trip 2007 Matsumoto City Street Signs

Japan Trip 2007 Matsumoto Street Scenes

Japan Trip 2007 Matsumoto soba noodle shop. Delicious!

Japan Trip 2007 The menu at a Matsumoto soba noodle shop. Brendan loves soba.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan and the toad outside a noodle shop in Matsumoto.

Japan Trip 2007 Matsumoto Castle

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan on the bridge at Matsumoto Castle.

Japan Trip 2007 Kamikochi National Park sign

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan & Dawn at Kamikochi National Park

Japan Trip 2007 Early morning frost in Kamikochi National Park (in July)

Japan Trip 2007 Kamikochi National Park

Japan Trip 2007 Kamikochi National Park Mountain Lodge

Japan Trip 2007 Kamikochi National Park in July.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan and the conductor on the Highland Express to Kamikochi.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan ready to ride the Highland Express. It's a very pleasant train ride.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan studies the train tickets.

Japan Trip 2007 Train platform

Japan Trip 2007 Narai information. Narai is on old village in Japan.

Japan Trip 2007 Narai street scene

Japan Trip 2007 Our very spacious room at our Minshuku (family-run inn) in Narai. Great place!

Japan Trip 2007 Unwinding with tea at our minshuku in Narai. From snow in the mountains to an old village in hours. Beautiful Japan.

Japan Trip 2007 Narai street scene

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping for snacks in Narai

Japan Trip 2007 Chopsticks and more for sale at a shop in Narai

Japan Trip 2007 Water flowing at a shrine along the main street in Narai. Cold and pure water flows freely in a lot of the mountain villages.

Japan Trip 2007 An artist's workshop in Narai

Japan Trip 2007 Portrait Narai

Japan Trip 2007 The artist and her workshop in Narai.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's new friend at the Minshuku in Narai. The Japanese are extremely friendly all over the country. Absolutely wonderful and polite.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan and our good friend, Mr. Kinoshita, with his 660cc Suzuki car. VROOOM!

Japan Trip 2007 Street scene in the ancient village of Tsumago

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan and the vegetable seller in Tsumago

Japan Trip 2007 Tsumago street scene

Japan Trip 2007 An odd way to transport a cat! This man is a visitor to Tsumago.

Japan Trip 2007 Buying snacks in the village of Magome Can't get enough sembei (rice crackers)!

Japan Trip 2007 Mr. Kinoshita with us in Magome (another old village).

Japan Trip 2007 Getting ready to catch the Shinkansen (bullet train) in Nagoya (to Tokyo). This train MOVES!

Japan Trip 2007 With Tahara-san at Tokyo station before taking the bullet train north to Aomori. We were so glad to see Tahara-san!

Japan Trip 2007 On the platform.

Japan Trip 2007 The Shinkansen! Brendan's favorite way to travel in Japan.

Japan Trip 2007 Waiting for the start of the Aomori Nebuta Festival. Great seats thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Ninomiya!

Japan Trip 2007 Drums being pulled into place for the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (Festival)

Japan Trip 2007 The lights are on and the team is ready for the signal to proceed at the Aomori Nebuta Festival

Japan Trip 2007 Aomori Nebuta Festival

Japan Trip 2007 The castle in Hirosaki Park

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping for souvenirs in Hirosaki Park

Japan Trip 2007 Hirosaki Neputa Festival

Japan Trip 2007 Hirosaki Neputa Festival. Notice the people standing on TOP!

Japan Trip 2007 Hirosaki Neputa Festival

Japan Trip 2007 Hirosaki Neputa Festival. Again, notice the people on TOP.

Japan Trip 2007 Hirosaki Neputa Festival

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara Tachi (tall) Nebuta; notice that all the drummers are women! This was our third Nebuta festival (and perhaps the rowdiest and best!).

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara Tachi Nebuta

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara Tachi Nebuta, most of these nebuta are 3 or 4 stories tall! Now THAT'S a lantern!

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara Tachi Nebuta

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara. We have arrived. Sign in the train station.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's new friends on the train from Hirosaki to Goshogawara. Brendan made a lot of new friends everywhere!

Japan Trip 2007 New friends at a train platform in Goshogawara.

Japan Trip 2007 Goshogowara Tachi Nebuta

Japan Trip 2007 Sendai Tanabata Festival

Japan Trip 2007 Sendai Tanabata

Japan Trip 2007 Sendai noodle shop

Japan Trip 2007 Sendai Pachinko parlour

Japan Trip 2007 Sendai Tanabata Information Desk

Japan Trip 2007 Looking up the cliffs to the temples at Yamadera

Japan Trip 2007 One of many stairways in Yamadera (up to the temples and shrines)

Japan Trip 2007 Yamadera Shrine

Japan Trip 2007 View of the valley from the top of Yamadera

Japan Trip 2007 Yamadera Shrine

Japan Trip 2007 The reward for climbing the stairs at Yamadera - a slushy!

Japan Trip 2007 Yamadera snack shop--excellent rice crackers

Japan Trip 2007 One of many Japanese dragonflies that Brendan caught on this trip. Even the dragonflies are friendly in Japan!

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan waiting for door 15 of a soon-to-arrive bullet train.

Japan Trip 2007 Another Shinkansen arrives! (On time, of course. Take note, Amtrak.)

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko--A World Heritage Site

Japan Trip 2007 Mariko & Brendan at Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Tom & Brendan at Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Mariko & Matsumoto-san with Dawn & Brendan at Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko: If you go to Japan, visit Nikko.

Japan Trip 2007 Dinner at our lodge in Nikko with Mariko and Matsumoto-san.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan in the lodge at Nikko. This was a great place.

Japan Trip 2007 The wooded stairs to our lodge in Nikko.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan & Aunt Mariko in Nikko. Mariko is Brendan's "Japanese Aunt."

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko, Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls

Japan Trip 2007 Kegon Falls, Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with a stuffed animal at Kegon Falls

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan & Tom at Lake Chuzenji, Near Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko Imperial Villa

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko Imperial Villa, the Emperor's second home.

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko Imperial Villa

Japan Trip 2007 One of Brendan's many semi (cicadas) that he found on this trip. Brendan caught dozens of semi!

Japan Trip 2007 Nikko Botanical Gardens bridge

Japan Trip 2007 Stone Buddahs in Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Hotel St. Bois bath (bathing) room, Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Hotel St. Bois bath, Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 At Hotel St. Bois: Brendan & his stuffed spider after a bath (in Nikko). Very relaxing.

Japan Trip 2007 Mariko relaxing at Hotel St. Bois, Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with Mariko & Matsumoto-san in Nikko

Japan Trip 2007 Boarding the train from Nikko to Tokyo

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba City

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with cell phone jackets

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba City's Monorail

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba's suspended Monorail

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba Castle

Japan Trip 2007 Mariko & Dawn at a party in Chiba

Japan Trip 2007 Reviewing old photos with friends in Chiba

Japan Trip 2007 More great friends (from the 1970's) at a party in Chiba.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan with Mrs. Kuraishi at a party in Chiba

Japan Trip 2007 Friends at a party in Chiba. It was WONDERFUL to see Koichi-kun, Tehara-san, Fu-chan, Mr. Hatori, Kubo-san, and everyone!

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba Party & YMCA Meeting: Wada-san, Kubo-san, Omi-san, and Mari-chan!

Japan Trip 2007 Party in Chiba and a YMCA Y's Mens Club Meeting. These are wonderful friends. You will be in our hearts forever.

Japan Trip 2007 Mr. Kuraishi and Y's Mens Club Meeting

Japan Trip 2007 Shopping in Chiba

Japan Trip 2007 Paul & Kazumi Stacey (Stacey-san even looks a little Japanese after all these years!)

Japan Trip 2007 Dawn being fitted for a yukata

Japan Trip 2007 Kazumi Stacey

Japan Trip 2007 Tom's old apartment in Chiba, with Wada-san. We had great times back in the 70's in Chiba!

Japan Trip 2007 Tom & Wada-san Wada-san and Nelida, you are subarashii!

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san, Nelida & Maya: A GREAT FAMILY!

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san, My super-friend.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan shopping for DS cartridges near Chiba.

Japan Trip 2007 Walking the road in Seiwa in Chiba Prefecture. I remember riding my motorcycle here many years ago.

Japan Trip 2007 View of the countryside at the lake in Seiwa.

Japan Trip 2007 Rice paddy in Seiwa.

Japan Trip 2007 Another of Brendan's spider friends in Seiwa.

Japan Trip 2007 Shrine in Chiba Prefecture

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san & Brendan hunting for bugs in Seiwa

Japan Trip 2007 The trophies from the bug hunt in Seiwa.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan making friends in Seiwa at a campground where Tom and Wada-san used to go.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's favorite semi (cicada), caught near Seiwa

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san & Tom near their old camping grounds. More great memories!

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's favorite semi (cicada).

Japan Trip 2007 Shrine in the cliff during Obon season.

Japan Trip 2007 Shrine in the cliff during Obon.

Japan Trip 2007 View of the cemetery from the Shrine in the cliff (during Obon in mid-August).

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan hiking in Chiba Prefecture near Seiwa

Japan Trip 2007 Chiba Prefecture Seiwa

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san, Nelida & Maya

Japan Trip 2007 View from Mr. & Mrs. Ninomiya's deck

Japan Trip 2007 Mrs Ninomiya watching Brendan play the Nintendo DS. The what???!!

Japan Trip 2007 Mr & Mrs Ninomiya's House, which overlooks Tokyo Bay. An absolutely beautiful and fantastic place.

Japan Trip 2007 Mrs. Ninomiya & Dawn

Japan Trip 2007 The view from Mr & Mrs Ninomiya's deck, near Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture.

Japan Trip 2007 On the beach in Futtsu on Tokyo Bay.

Japan Trip 2007 Successful crab catch in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Hunting for crabs on the beach in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan & a new friend on the beach, Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Successful crab catch in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's smallest crab in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 A kaiten zushi restaurant in Futtsu. Great sushi and sashimi!

Japan Trip 2007 Cliffs above Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Dragonfly in Ninomiya's garden

Japan Trip 2007 Building lanterns for the Toro Nagashi festival in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Building lanterns for the festival in Futtsu and preparing to sail them down the river to the bay and ocean.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's own creation on wood, in Futtsu at the the Ninomiya's house.

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan dressed and ready for the Toro Nagashi festival in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Mr & Mrs Ninomiya with Brendan and the homemade lantern in Futtsu. This was a special night!

Japan Trip 2007 Ready for the festival in Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Mr & Mrs Ninomiya on their deck in Futtsu. What a great place! What great friends and a warm welcome!

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san & Tom, Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Mr. Ninomiya & Tom

Japan Trip 2007 A view of Mt. Fuji from the Ninomiya's deck at their house in Futtsu. Spectacular! SUGOI! It doesn't get much better than this!

Japan Trip 2007 Lantern festival, Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Sailing the lanterns down the river at the Lantern festival in Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Preparing to light the lanterns, Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Brendan's lantern ready to float downstream and out to the ocean, Futtsu.

Japan Trip 2007 Lanterns floating out to sea, Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Festival food vendor, Futtsu

Japan Trip 2007 Breakfast time at Mr. and Mrs. Ninomiya's House. Thank you again for a great time!

Japan Trip 2007 Preparing to leave Japan. Our final good-bye to Mrs. Ninomiya.

Japan Trip 2007 Mr. Kuraishi (Father) & Brendan at the airport, just before leaving.

Japan Trip 2007 Kyoko Kuraishi and Brendan. Brendan got to meet Kyoko for the first time. We were happy to see you, Kyoko!

Japan Trip 2007 Mrs. Kuraishi, Kyoko & Brendan

Japan Trip 2007 Wada-san, Nelida & Maya with Brendan

Japan Trip 2007 Final Farewell to Friends as we leave Narita Airport. WE LOVE YOU AND WE WILL BE BACK! Matta ne!

Japan Trip 2007 Our Japan Rail Passes--they were very useful and got us to a lot of places!