Back from Japan!

[Stef]

Hi guys! As you probably have noticed, I was gone for a while!

I've been to Japan, together with my girlfriend, to attend a friend's wedding and do some sightseeing. The first few days we've been around Kamakura (south of Tokyo, which is where the wedding took place), then we went to Osaka for a week and made a couple of trips to Hiroshima, Kyoto and Himeji and then spent the rest of our time in Tokyo.

I wanted to give you guys a short update once in a while, but then it was very cumbersome to get internet access, because I didn't bring my laptop. So I just focused on uploading the comics in time and didn't bother about the rest! After all we were much too busy with sightseeing and eating tons of great Japanese food, like Sushi, Udon, Ramen, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Yakisoba.... Mmhh.... Yummy!

Anyway, here are some pictures I made:

1) The first one is taken at the famous Kinkakuji (Golden Pavillion) in Kyoto. This pavillion is located within a temple compund and is actually covered by real gold! It was built in the 14th century, I think, as a residence for the retired shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who used to walk around in the garden and philosophize a lot (which proves one more time, that it's much easier to philosophize if you're filthy rich). It was turned into a Zen temple after that.

2) The second one shows my girlfriend underneath a cherry tree. The cherry blossom (Sakura) season is very important in Japan. There are daily updates in the TV news about the "cherry blossom frontier" as it marches northwards through the country, and when it comes all people gather in the public parks for "Hanami" (flower watching) where people spend more time drinking than actually looking at the blossoms, though. Sometimes whole companies stop working and all the employees go to the park together. This particular cherry tree was in the garden of Himeji castle.

3) The third picutre was taken in... Tokyo of course, what did you think? Yes, they have a statue of liberty there too, which is much smaller than the one of New York though. The bridge in the background is called "Rainbow Bridge" and connects "Odaiba", the artificial island where the statue is located with the rest of Tokyo. If you look closely you can even see the red Tokyo Tower in the background. It looks like the Eiffel Tower, but is a bit taller than the original.

4) The last picture was taken in "Harajuku" an area in Tokyo where the freaks hang out. Seriously, if you ever go to Tokyo, be sure to check it out! You can see a lot of funny looking people there! It's not like everybody in Japan looks like that though...

[Frank N. O.]

Fantastic pictures and what an experience! Japan is a place I'd thought a lot about seeing too due to their fantastic culture(s) and sights to see like some of the places you've shown pictures of (Domo Arigato is the phrase I'm looking for I believe). Actually that's about the same reason USA is on my list apart from the fact that I'd like to live there since I know the language and think I can find a peaceful spot.

Beautiful palaca and what a pleasent and peaceful looking tree (I heard once that pink colour actually calms people down). I was also wondering about the statue picture as well but also because I thought that tge background didn't look right for the american original. Is it also Japan that has a copy of the Little Mermaid?

At first I thought the girls (?) were what's called Cosplayers but then you wrote freaks. Actually if dressing up is all they do then I got no problem with it at all, in fact I think it's interesting and especially when comparing to gangsters and gangmembers in wild clothes with a non-existant fuse then people like them there is fully ok. Heck two doors down here we got a former catholic priest from britain that often wears women's clothing but that's it, he's a nice friendly older man (me and my mom have talked with him a few times) nothing more and I'd rather have different, but decent, clothing than "normal" clothing and aggressive/bad behaviour.

I would however also prefer to have cooked food but that's just me 
How did you get so much in touch with Japan as it appears you are? It looks like you visit there often and have done for years. Have you got friends down there or maybe a job as well?

Thanks for sharing.
Frank

[Turbomallard]

Did you see Godzilla while you were in town? He's probably retired by now.

TM

[fireflyr]

Nice pictures Stef,   
Someday, I would love to visit Japan, there are many things I would like to see there.    I have a friend who is a geothermal drilling expert who goes there on a regular basis and tells me of the wonderful things he sees.    One of his pet peeves though is the size of everything----Mick is 6' 2" and about 300 pounds (big AND muscular), says he's constantly bumping into things and has to order double meals just to try to satisfy his apetite.   

[Stef]

Yes Frank, it's a great place to see! Unfortunately it's a pretty expensive country or otherwise I'd be there more often. I don't really know when my interest in Japan started, but I was always fascinated by the country. My parents also used to ask me "Why Japan, of all places?" but I could never really pin it down to something particular. I started to learn the language in university and got more and more involved. Then I did an exchange semester in Tokyo and later on another 1,5 years... As a student it's the easiest to go abroad. And now I have some friends there of course, and I know my way around, but no job or something. We've been trying to pitch Chicken Wings to Japanese aviation newspapers, but so far without success.

And you're right, those girls on the picture as "Cosplayers", but I used the term freaks instead, because I didn't know anybody knew what Cosplay is. (For those who don't know: The term derives from "costume play" and people dress up in certain styles and hang around and... well, just hang around as far as I can tell). I also use the term "freak" a lot and without much negative connotations intended. And I'm with you too when you say that as long as they do nobody any harm, it's up to them what to dress like! I even like it in a way, because it's great fun to go there and look at all those people!

@ Turbomallard: No, I didn't have the honor of meeting Godzilla personally. But I guess you're right and he's settled down somewhere in a quiet neighbourhood, raises his own crops and probably has a dog too (mmh, crunchy!)  

@ Fireflyr: Haha! I'm not so tall, but I can imagine how your friend feels like! I know many people who have to duck to enter the subway... Funnily enough many Japanese are having similar problems because people are getting taller there quite fast! Just walking the street might be a problem though if you're as broad as your friend seems to be...

[Plthijnx]

yeah, welcome back Stef! thanks for sharing the pics! the cherry tree looks awesome!

[Frank N. O.]

Ah so they were cosplayers after all. Yes I think it's quite nice with some variation in clothing when that's all that it is, and that the clothing is at least halfway descent, gives some colour to the world and something to keep interest that again keeps the brain working, or at least it does in my case 
Expression can work in many ways, also ones that are fun for both the person doing it and seeing it.

About expensive places then I'm already used to such a place. 25% std. commodities tax regardless of type, average 40% income tax and 180% passengercar registration tax, and oh yes gasoline that costs 6.70 USD per US gallon.

If you got some more interesting pictures and there's room on the server then I for one would like to see them, if you got some as well that is 

Frank

[FlyingBlind]

Harajuku ladies are creepy dude...seriously...i poop you not..