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Japan - Spring Break 2005
For Spring Break 2005, I flew to Japan with the
intention of exploring my first country from the Asian continent.
Destinations were Tokyo, Kyoto and Miyazaki; friend Chris Salzberg,
whom I met at the Santa Fe Institute's Complex Systems Summer
School in June 2003 is getting his PhD from U. Tokyo in artificial
life, while friend Jenn Louie is in her final year of the Japan
Exchange and Teaching (JET) program based in Miyakonojo on the
southern island of Kyushu. Jenn leaves Japan at the end of the
summer, so I decided I'd better go while I had multiple friends
in the country.
As with most of my travels, I took an annoyingly
large number of pictures, most of which are available here. Enjoy,
and stop by the blog entries to read about my adventures.
Tokyo: capitol and megatropolis [blog
entry]
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Tuna auctions, Tokyo Fish Market
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Chopping block, Tokyo Fish Market
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Slicing tuna, Tokyo Fish Market
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Destined for sushi, Tokyo Fish Market
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Sue and Ann, new friends, Tokyo Fish Market
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'ema', at the Shrine
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Akihabara Confucian Shrine
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Myojin Shrine entrance, Akihabara
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Traditional Japanese wedding at Myojin, Akihabara
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Bride and groom of wedding, Myojin in Akihabara
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Tokyo National Museum, behind Ueno Station
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Bronze fish, Tokyo National Museum
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Samurai armor, Tokyo National Museum
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Eagle drawing on screen, Tokyo National Museum
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A very large lantern, Senso-ji Asakusa
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Crowded main square, Senso-ji Asakusa
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Wafting smoke for good luck, Senso-ji Asakusa
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Five story pagoda, Senso-ji Asakusa
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Five story pagoda (closer), Senso-ji Asakusa
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Offering box (also for good luck), Senso-ji Asakusa
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Touristy shopping avenue near Senso-ji in Asakusa
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Harajuku girls, and me
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Harajuku boys
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Harajuku shopping avenue
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Harajuku weirdness
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More Harajuku weirdness
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Main square of Shibuya
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Tokyo skyline detail
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Tokyo city panorama from one of many skyscrapers
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Philadelphia in... Tokyo
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Mecca... er, the Tokyo Applestore
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Friend Chris Salzberg
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Kyoto: historic center and shrine city [blog
entry]
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Choin-in main entrance
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Sub-shrine in Choin-in
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Calligraphy class, Choin-in
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Colorful Buddhist statute, Choin-in
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Temple bell
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Dragon washing fountain
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In case of earthquake (a public notice)
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Traditional Japanese grave
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Main square, Japanese Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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Shrine to Allied soldiers, Japanese Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier
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Names of Allied soldiers who perished, Japanese Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier
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Random five story pagoda
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Entrance building at Kiyomizu-dera complex
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Cherry blossom season, Kiyomizu-dera
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School group at Kiyomizu-deras
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One of the many buddhas, Kyomizu-dera
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Main temple building, Kiyomizu-dera
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Kind of like fortune cookies, Kyomizu-dera
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Explanation of 'ema', Kyomizu-dera
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The love stones, Kiyomizu-dera
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Kiyomizu-dera skyline
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Buddha with hat, Kiyomizu-dera
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Fountain of long life, Kyomizu-dera
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Random temple
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Random shrine in the middle of urban concrete jungle
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To-ji gardens and pagoda
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To-ji pagoda and me
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Hostel friends
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School group enjoying the cherry blossoms
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Entrance to Nijo-jo
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Nijo-jo skyline: sky, mountain, city, castle
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Nijo-jo moat
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Rosa on Mt. Hiei
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Mt. Hiei and me
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French impressionism... on Mt. Hiei
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Main temple building at Enryaku-ji, Mt. Hiei
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Monument to some ambassador, Enryaku-ji Mt. Hiei
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Sushi bar
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Ryoin-ji bridge over untroubled waters
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Ryoin-ji Zen fountain
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Famous Ryoin-ji rock garden
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Not-so-peaceful, Ryion-ji
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Meditative, Ryion-ji
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Kinkaku-ji in the sunlight
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Kinkaku-ji again
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Kinkaku-ji and me
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Offerings to Buddha, Kinkaku-ji
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Shinkansen to Beppu
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Kyushu, mountains and onsen [blog entry]
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Kagoshima, volcano
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Kagoshima onsen
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Aoshima coastline
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Rice paddy reflection
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Picturesque Japanese cloud enshrouded valley
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When love hotels meet Engrish
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Chou-hi and me, at Joyfull (a diner)
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Devil's Washboard, Aoshima
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Aoshima island and me
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Aoshima island shrine
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Cave shrine main entrance
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Cave shrine, side arches
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Cave shrine, looking down
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Cave shrine
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If you get a pellet in the puddle, luck for having children
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Jenn throws at the puddle
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Shidax, the 24-hour karaoke palace
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Karoako #1
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Karaoke #2
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Karaoke #3
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Karaoke #4
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Karaoke #5
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Karaoke #6
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Young archers receive blessing, Festival/Archery Competition
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Adults prepare, Festival/Archery Competition
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The procession before the competition
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Elder archer (note the hat)
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Cherry blossom-lined track
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Elder archer run #1
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Elder archer run #2
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Journeyman archer run #1
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Apprentice archer run #1
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Apprentice archer run #2
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Archer run movie #1
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Archer run movie #2
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Archer run movie #3
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Jenn, me and the cherry blossoms
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Kojima island, home of very smart monkeys
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Shore by Kojima island
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Kurakowa onsen lobby
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Kurakowa, on the Black River
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Onsen passes, hung at the shrine for good luck
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Cuddly Dominion, Kyushu
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Random Japanese oversized cuteness
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