Japan - 2016
Read More
Artsy shot of rock piles that people have to make when they do anything outdoorsy these days.
Nice view from the top of Mount Misen.
A temple of some sort. I believe this is meant to give good luck in one's romantic life. Hasn't helped so far...
I was at Miajima Island on the day of a festival where they would take this shrine to the water, dance around, sail it around the island, and return at high tide. I think copious amounts of sake drinking was also involved...
Love these bridges!
At low tide, you can go walk under the torii for some cool views.
Yep...
The path for the shine (note, this is low tide)3
Dramatic views all around the island
One last visit to the Memorial Park site.
Bullet trains look amazing!
When is waiting for a load of laundry to finish, there's nothing better to do than to watch some sumo!
A group of high school boys was preparing for a parade. They were doing all kinds of things with this shrine-y thing including running multiple directions, throwing it up in the air, and turning around. All accompanied with a drummer and a lot of screaming!
A section of a church that was leveled by the atomic bomb dropped in Nagasaki
The hypocenter of the bomb dropped in Nagasaki
A set of roseries that have been melted together due to the atomic blast and resulting fires.
Intersting comparison between Nagasaki now and Nagasaki in 1945. This is taken very close to the Hypocenter.
Hypocenter in Nagasaki. Notice the flowers left - the Japanese people haven't forgotten abotu what happened.
Cool flowers next to some stairs.
Peace Statue in the Nagasaki Peace Park. I had to carefully frame this shote due to construction below. Many Japanese thought I was the model that posed for this statue, I had to tell them that they were mistaken - but I could understand the mistake.
Urakami Cathedral - a Catholic catherdral in Nagasaki. This was levelled by the Atomic Bomb and rebuilt. This church was actually the target for the bombing
The literal end of the line for the JR-Rail system. You can take this train system all over the country, this is the western/southern terminus.
Ōura Church is a old cathedral in Nagasaki that has quite a past. As a trading town frequented by foreigners, Christianity gained a bit of a foothold in Nagasaki. Soon after, it was persecuted - leading to 26 Japanese martyrs who were crucified in 1597.
One of several western-style houses found in Glover Gardens in Nagasaki.
Great views from the top of Mount Inasa. You can pretty much bet that any place where people might be, you'll find one of these bad boys. I can't even imagine how much money I spent in these machines.
View fromt he top of Mountin Inasa
The two complexes in the middle of the pictre are actually pretty typical Japanese schools. One is an elementary school, the other is a middle school
Looking like a champ!
Beutiful colors as the sun begins to set on a great day in Nagasaki...no Photoshop adjustments needed here...
Very dramatic sunset...no Photoshop adjustments needed here...
The night lights of Nagasaki
I guess that top thing can be described as "cornbread"...? It was great - whatever it was (the white stuff on the cornbread is mayo. Japanese love their mayonaise)
Sadly, this was not as cool as SkyMall. Everything in this magazine was depressingly practical.
Driving on the opposite side is terrifying!
The Shuri Castle on Okinawa is a very important castle. This of course is replica as the original was destroyed in the WWII Battle of Okinawa.
Sometimes I feel like I don't quite fit in Japan.
Quite a serious throne. In the old days, Okinawa was head of the Ryukyu Kingdom - led from this throne. I think I'll make a replica for my room. To get ManageBac help, students and teachers will have approach my Dragon Throne!
Outside of Shuri Castle
Bridges!
My "whip" for the Okinawa portion of the trip. It was a neat little hybrid car that did a good job - when I wasn't confusing the wipers with the turn signal!
Capep Hedo - the northern-most part of Okinawa
Cool rugged terrain
