Lasting Impressions

Wed., 4/8  Today our OAT group scatters in all directions. Lee and I transfer to Osaka to fly back to San Francisco, she to Berkeley, and I on to Denver, arriving before we left as we gain our day back. Another "Excellent Adventure" and new friends met.
Comments and Impressions:
Japan is a well organized, "polite" society, if seeming a bit isolated in its culture ( on purpose). Very little English spoken and no English channels in these big cities (CNN, etc.), as in most countries. Though written English is learned in middle school it us very difficult for them to pronounce. Seems impossible for us Westerners to get a grasp on Japanese!  They learn to read and write  two different forms of their own language, however.
Japan is much like the United States in its innovation and technical advancement. We fell in love with the Western Japanese toilets! Cities are cleaner, no trash or graffiti, though there are millions of people.No trash bins in train stations, public areas in the big cities since 9/11. They take their trash home. No visible poverty. They have A Social Security system, company supported retirement at age 60, with medical support. Japan has a very efficient transportation system - trains and excellent highways, great technology (wifi) with everyone using their smart phones. Because of smaller size apartments/houses they have great efficient appliences and furnishings.
Kids are darling! The youth, like ours, is trying new fashion, music, customs against the parents'generation. Attire of the business population is siuts, heals for women, and briefcases, against the more expressive youth. There is a great respect for the history here and a love of nature.  The Japanese are out and about everywhere in the rain! TV emphasizes healthy eating/cooking shows, morning exersize, lots of colorful kid's learning shows, ads for beauty products, (just like us), animation, "happy" atmosphere. Lots of masks worn in the cities o deal with the seasonal allergies and closeness of humanity!
The most beautifyl sakura cherry blossons in the world!
Signing off. Hope you've enjoyed your "armchair travels".

Lainey

Sayanara, Japan

Today is the last day to sample amazing Kyoto.There are many significant World Heritage sites here and we spent this last tour day in Japan at the beautiful Zen Buddhist Tenryuji Temple, which featured "houses", multi-leveled gardens, a large koi pond, and an amazing bamboo forest.Though we have seen many temples and shrines on this journey, they have each had their own uniqueness and mistique to the western eye. There is much beauty preserved in the heritage of Japan, though its history reflects long reigns of conflict among the emperors and shoguns, and, as an island, distruction by typhoons and storms.
We had time this afternoon to do our shopping at the Craft Center before attending our Farewell dinner.
The Farewell dinner is always a special event. One last chance at public transportation, we went by taxi, muni train, and a long walk through the Geisha neighborhood, to a lovely river view restaurant for our gourmet dinner. This has been an active and compatible group of 16, with an outstanding trip leader.
Some of us head back to the states tomorrow while a few take the post trip to Hiroshima.
Last blog tomorrow - Comments and impressions.

Pic 1: sakura blossom "snow" falling in the Okochi-Sanso Japanese garden; Bamboo Grove; Traditional dress

Day in the Life...

Another special experience OAT provides is an opportunity to participate in a piece of the daily life of the people in the country we visit. Today, just when I thought I was all "templed out" we were driven to the countryside near the mountains, put on a covered wooden boat with a monk, and pushed by two gondoliers down river to the hidden Senkoji Zen Buddhist temple, 233 steep rocky steps up the mountain. This was a small temple, founded 700 years ago, damaged over the years by a typhoon and civil wars, and rebuilt. Our Grand Circle Foundation is now supporting its regeneration. We had a lovely tea ceremony, whisking our own green tea from powder with bamboo whisk, and participating in a discussion about Zen Buddhism.
This afternoon we visited a former samari house, turned community center, where two housewives working with OAT outfitted us with aprons and taught us how to make rice balls, then accompanied them with a full delicious lunch! We even got certificates stating that we'd mastered the art of sushi making :-) It was wonderful comradery visiting with them and asking about their lives and families. So many similarities in lifestyle!
The April showers are here and the blossoms are weeping!

Pic 1: rolling down the river... Pic 2: ringing the gong before entering the temple Pic 3: thr rice balls are on the first plate! (salmon,shrimp, radish, egg)

Easter in a Buddhist world

Easter Sunday - not a Christian in sight. While our guide states that the Japanese don't consider themselves a "religious" country, they really appreciate their history of Buddhism and Shintoism, as witnessed by all the people praying at the cultural antiquities, now World Heritage sites. Today, even in the rain, we donned our umbrellas and headed out for the towns of Nara and Fushimi, first to visit the Sacred Deer Nara Park, home of hundreds of very assertive deer who expect crackers from the visitors, boldly pushing their noses into your jacket pockets! These animals roam free on the grounds of the temple of the Great Image of Buddha, housed in the world's largest wooden buiding.
The Kasuga Shinto Shrine claims 2000 stone lanterns lining its garden paths. At one time they were all candle-lit. It was quite a distance between this site and the next so we had a comfy bus to dry off in between towns. Lunch was at a still different Japanese-style restaurant for tempura and green tea ice cream.
The wet weather dominated our afternoon visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine with its "1000" red gates. (All temples have a gate with a Purification well at the entrance.) By now we felt like wet rats and were glad to get home to relax, dry off, and put our feet up.
Kana arranged an optional four course dinner in the neighborhood tonight for yakatori (grilled chicken on a stick). Food is a real art in Japan. Everything is served in small dishes/bowls, course at a time, and the presentation is everything designed to make one slow down, appreciate a real "experience" in asthetics and enjoyment. Of course, not every taste offering was appreciated by us Westerners, as there is some awfully strange food here-  but it looks beautiful! We are all adept at the use of chopsticks by now.
P.S. Last night's Sacura cherry blossom Illumination was amazing!

Pic 1: deer rule!; Pic 2: Buddha (built in four sections); Pic 3: stone lanturns: Pic 4: another style restaurant

Sakura Cherry Blossoms and Shrines

An amazing full, sunny and warm day of sightseeing the highlights of  Kyoto. This former capitol of Japan was home to the shogunate till Tokyo became the capitol in the mid-1800's. Today it boasts a population of over one million and is quite cosmopolitan.
OMG! The sakuras are out in full bloom and are jaw-droppingly gorgeous! All of Kyoto is out with their cameras. We visited several World Heritage sites today, starting with the huge Kiyomizu Temple complex, high above the city, dating from the 700's. It was like its own city from shogun times, now dotted with shops, gardens, tea rooms, waterfalls, etc., with very festive atmosphere!
Next, the more contemplative Sanjyusangendo Buddhist Temple, which housed 1001 life-size gold leaf-covered wooden buddhas (no pics allowed inside). Our third temple complex was a knock-out! The 1000 sakura-laden Nijyo Castle (last of the shogun's residence in Kyoto) included gardens, castle and palace. After a gourmet lunch at the French restaurant on the Kyoto University campus we continued our "temple and trees" quest, now to the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), another unique garden and pagoda complex. Trees alone were so stunning we promised ourselves to come back tonight for the special Illumination. One bonus stop at the end of the tour was to another shrine full of exquisite trees, a temple and a park with stalls of food and souvenirs and of picnickers, bar-b-queing. What a festive week this is for the Japanese!  And to think it will be over in a few more days when the winds blow, the bees come, and the rains fall. We were SO lucky to have this perfect timing!

Pics 1-3: temples

To Kyoto

Oops! Another rainy day. No worries, it's  a travel day.
One of the highlights provided by OAT on their trips is a home-hosted visit. Each county has its own personality and today we got to experience Japanese hospitality. Six homes chosen to host small groups of two to four visitors. We each took a small gift to them from our home state. Lee and I were fortunate to have our own home visit, thus affording more time for personal interaction. Our hosts were a retired professional couple with two grown children, who live in a middle-class home. They spoke very understandable English and were very welcoming, giving us a tour of their home, talking about thier culture, teaching us some calligraphy, serving tea, enjoying a good exchange of conversation, taking pictures, and offering us each the gift of a beautiful set of chopsticks.
Time to pack up, eat lunch at one of the many restaurants in the huge shopping center/train station before hopping the train for Kyoto. Scenery today was low tree-filled mountains with rural towns and farms in the valley between.
Our last destination will be a five night stay here in Kyoto with many excursions throughout. Another included Japanese style dinner tonight featuring tempura, with many courses, some of which we are actually beginning to identify!

Pic 1: learning calligraphy from our host; Pic 2: Did you ever try to eat spaghetti with chopsticks? "Western lunch"  Pic 3: Tempura

Pictures to go with 4/2

Add these to the "Mountains.." blog
Pic 1: Pounding the sticky rice into Mochi-tsuki; Pic 2: thatch roof house; Pic 3: paper making

Mountain Life - 4/2

Apologies for the delay and out of order blogs of the past 4 days - wifi not available.
Today, rain swept away, we awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning for our trip up into the mountain towns of Shirakawago and Gokayama, about an hour's drive from Kanazawa. Our goal, to learn more about the samari warrior culture of old that lived in this once isolated part of the country, before the modern world and sophistocated tunnel system existed. On the bus as we traveled Kana made sure we knew how to make our oragami samari warrior hats!
At the Gassho'zukuri folklore park we learned how to pound rice into rice cakes, which we sampled along with red beans and tea. Shoes off as we entered the buildings with their tatami mat floors. This community is known for its wooden houses with steep thickly thatched straw roofs (similar to the stave houses of Norway). In Gokayama we visited the "house" of a "samari warrior" for more tea (kettle heated over an open fire in a pit in the middle of the room) shoes off again, while the warrior, in costume, danced for us. Lunch nearby was a delicious 7 dish array of Japanese style vegetables, soup, rice, served at a small
family run restaurant.
This afternoon, at a workshop, we learned how to make the famous Washi paper. Lots of delightful temptations in the gift shop.

Hakone and Her Majesty Mt. Fuji

Yesterday's weather gave way to a glorious spring day for our visit in and around the mountain resort town of Hakone. Mt. Fuji was in her glory, though like Danali, one can go months without seeing her! We are now at an ideal vantage point for viewing. Hakone is in a huge crater from which we rode a gongola up to the side which spewed fumerals of steam. Cameras clicking, we hiked a path up to the point where we could boil eggs (turning the shells black) to confirm the temperature. There are 5 volcano-formed lakes surrounding Fuji and we took a leisurely crossing of the largest one, Lake Ashi, to another resort town where we first visited a famous wood craftsman's workshop for a demonstration of his fine craft inlaid art. Lunch at a fancy hotel by the lake was followed by an optional visit to the Hakone Open-Air Museum, which displayed acres of magnificent outdoor modern sculpture and a Picasso Pavillion.
Back at our ryokan, some are soaking in the spa while we await our last Traditional dinner here. So much unfamiliar to us Westerners here at the inn, but by the second day we are feeling more comfortable, even running around in our yakuta bathrobes.

Pic 1: Mt. Fugi from the trail; Pic 2: On Lake Ashi; Pic 3: Hakone-Zaiku Wooden Handicraft Workshop

Experiencing Traditional Japan

Leaving the modern world behind we are now in the wooded mountains of Mt. Fugi, heading to Hakone, a resort town in the lake district. Even though the weather has turned overcast and, this afternoon, rainy, we have been fortunate to see "her majesty" up close and personal, driving up to the 4th station (of which there are 10 in the summer months). We were above the clouds. The atmosphere is remeniscent of our Trail Ridge Road, still snow-covered.
During our drive today Kana gave us history and caligraphy lessons, but more importantly, THE RULES for our next two night's stay at the ryokan, which is a Traditional Japanese inn. No wifi here so these next two entries will have to wait.
First lesson is about proper attire. Upon arrival we were each handed matching yukatas,(a light weight cotton kimono, worn "at home" and after bathing). There is a hot springs spa here at the inn for guests. Strict "how to..." rules in preparing for this experience, include the changing room rule after you go au natural. "Do not wear other person's underwear and yukata." Nice to know :-)
Second lesson has to do with learning how to crawl on the matted floor, sitting on the pillow at the low table in my room. Good thing I have a private room and noone's watching! Tonight I get to learn how to roll onto and out of  my futon. :-)  For our "traditional" dinner Kana is making us wear our yukatas. One of the fellows in our group is 6' 8". Should be interesting.
Later: dinner consisted of no less that 16 strange and mysterious bites of cuisine. Can't explain - sorry. See picture below.

Pic 1: Traditional dinner, first course;  pic 2: my room; pic 3: yours truly

Ducks in a row - April 1

We experienced our first spring rain today for our full day of touring Kanazawa, umbrellas at the ready. Imagine 16 ducklings in a row following our leader on the narrow streets of historic neighborhoods. The gentle morning rain created a hushed beauty in Kenroku-en Garden as we strolled among blossoming plum trees. Attached to the gardens was a museum display of beautiful native Japanese arts and crafts. Nearby we visited the traditional performing arts Noh Theater to learn  about live  stylized theater and its historical reference.
Lunch of fresh salmon at a local restaurant to dry off a bit before we resumed our walking tour of both a "middle class " and a "lower class" neighborhood and model of the old samari warriors homes, those who were protecting the shogunate of the 16th century. Last but not least, walking through the geisha neighborhood, we had a fascinating visit with the hostess at a geisha tea house. It's a dying art form.
Much real history and culture, along with nature today!

Pic 1: Garden plum trees in the mist; Pic 2: playing on the Noh Stage; Pic 3: Geisha hostess explains it all...

And now for something completely different.

Leaving the "traditional" Japanese experience behind this morning, we reentered the modern world, first by bus through the mountains down to Odawara, where the lower altitude allowed for a quick peek at more cherry trees blooming. We hopped aboard the famous "bullet" train (187 mph), transfering then to a regular train for our next destination, the cosmopolitan city of Kanazawa, 200 miles to the south. The train rides gave us time to relax and reset our bodies and minds back into the 21st century. OAT likes to provide lots of discoveries. We are now staying the next 3 nights in a high rise,16 story Holiday Inn.
Kanazawa has a huge covered market near the hotel that we immediately explored. More kinds of fish swimming in the Pacific and ending up on the table than I ever imagined! However, many of us were happy to have a Western style dinner tonight.

Pic 1: cherry blossoms at Odawara Castle;  Pic 2: the bullet train; Pic 3: bulk green tea at the Omicho Market

Tokyo Sampler

Completing our pre-trip portion, the rest of our 16 member group joined us today for a whirlwind tour of frenetic Tokyo by coach, on foot, and subway. We will leave for the high country and Mt. Fuji tomorrow. Tokyo was just too much for our new folks to absorb in one day! First stop, the 7th century Asakusa Kannon Temple, a lovely Shinto shrine complex with little souvenier shops along the way. Then, after peeking at the Emperor's palace we spent time at the first shogun Emperor Meiji Jingu's shrine, a beautiful wooded complex where we were fortunate to observe a number of wedding parties, in full dress, parading around the grounds. Plenty of time to enjoy these sites.
On from the Historical to the Fashionable, the high end Ginza shopping area with its huge department stores. It is so busy that the street is blocked of at the main intersection on the weekend, turning it into a pedestrian mall. Bento box lunches at the dept. store here on their terrace roof.
From the hustle and bustle of the commercial world to the Zen of a private traditional Tea ceremony this afternoon. Then one last series of subway rides, 7 people deep during rush hour, to our Welcome dinner back in our own neighborhood. This city is not for the faint of heart!

Pic 1: Kannon Temple; Pic 2: Ginza shopping; Pic 3: Tea ceremony ; (bonus: subway map!)

Something fishy going on...

Off to Tokyo's famous Tsukiji Fish Market this morning. Acres of buildings housing the auctions and wholesale booths where the restaurants, chefs, and  commercial buyers get first pick, from blowfish to bait, salmon to shrimp. The huge complex is surrounded by an outdoor market for the public consumer, including eateries and shops with other consumer goods, including those ginsu knives we all love. Our trip leader, Kana, took us to an adjacent sushi cafe where we feasted on  the freshest sushi I've ever eaten!
Temps are warming up and we were turned loose in the city this afternoon to explore (or get lost) as we wished. Fear and trepidation set in so Lee and I joined a couple who had actually done research on the subway system. We first went to Shinjuko Gyoen National Garden in search of our cherry blossoms. It was delightful to see hundreds of families, picnics spread out under trees, enjoying the park on this beautiful spring day.
Final adventure (more trains) was to a crazy neighborhood which I had seen featured on a recent travel video at home. Takeshita Street (no, I didn't make up that name!) is a long pedestrian street crammed full of outlandish shops for young kids, mostly girls, and crammed full of outlandish young kids, mostly girls. It is totally counterculture to the "serious suit" culture of the adult commuters who dominate the city.
Found our way home, overstimulated, exhausted, and with sore feet, but happy that we finally navigated the subway system on our own.
Pic 1: inside the fish market
Pic 2: sushi brunch
Pic 3: selling dried squid at the outdoor market

Five trains to Kamakura

Japan could not exist without its trains! Our side trip today was 40 miles by 5 trains ("local", express, hanging monorail, and two more "locals") southwest to the seaside town of Kamakura, home of the political center of Japan in 12th century shogun times. Clear skies afforded us our first peek at Mt. Fugi along the way. This was a day of shogun (military government) era Buddhas, temples and gardens. The first stop brought us to the Great Amida Buddha of Kamakura, the huge bronze  open air statue cast in 1252.
Lunch at a very traditional Japanese restaurant stretched our comfort zone. While the presentation was colorfully artistic it included more raw fish than most of us could appreciate. Thank goodness for the sweet potato and green tea soft serve ice cream we had later (and, yes, that was really good). Second stop was the beautiful multi-level Hasadera Temple complex, high above the city, with many versions of the Buddha. Lots of steps to keep our heart rates up.
A trek through the long pedestrian shopping street brought us to our last temple grounds, this one a Shinto shrine. No Buddha, but a big mirror to reflect the Spirit back. Various people were dressed in traditional komono garb to celebrate family events.
Full day today with lots of walking and train rides, but we couldn't end it without going to a neighborhood noodle restaurant. See pic. 3 for inservice: look at all the pictures of noodle dishes displayed on the vending machine, put your money in the slot, punch the picture/button you want, take the ensuing ticket to your table,  hand to the waiter, have a seat, and voila! Your meal is served to you in minutes. Reminded us all of the days of the Horn and Hardart automats! By the way, this was great fresh food.
Pic 1: bronze Buddha  pic 2: Hasadera Temple complex pic 3: "fixing" dinner

Hitting the ground running...

I'm traveling this Overseas Adventure Travels trip with my friend, Lee, whom I met on a previous Grand Circle trip. After our 11+ hour flight from San Francisco to Narita (Tokyo), with a16 hour time difference, we met last evening for our 3 day "pre-trip" with our trip leader, Kana, and 9 fellow travelers at our hotel, which will be our home for the first 5 nights.
After a good night's sleep we jumped right in to this city of 15 million people for a full day city tour. Two city train rides took us to the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, one of the oldest districts in Tokyo. Walking the nearby Yanaka district, we passed university students dressed in their Japanese finest for graduation. Wooden houses (shop on the first level, living quarters above), family temples and a traditional cemetery provided a peaceful interlude in an otherwise bustling city. Nearby we found the narrow pedestrian shopping alley before taking a little bus to an elegant buffet style restaurant for new discoveries. More about the food later!
It is still quite chilly and windy, though sunny here, and the cherry blossoms are just starting to make an appearance. They should be continuing to unfold all aling the trip.
Pix:1. Tokyo National Museum garden 2. wooden house with family temple 3. first cherry blossoms!

Looking ahead at the itinerary

Our travels begin in San Francisco Monday, March 23rd, when Lee and Lainey board our 12:00 noon  United flight (11+hrs!) to Tokyo, arriving at 3:00 p.m., faster than light? While in Japan I intend to blog daily, when possible, so check back often.

East Meets West

Journey with Lainey Brown and Lee Ranadive

March 23 to April 8, 2015

 Overseas Adventure Travels