Japan 2016 — Bernd's Perspective

the view of asakusa in tokyo from our hotel room

asakusa at night from our hotel's rooftop bar

pre-dinner drinks

asakusa

butcher near our hotel

sweets shop (one of many) near our hotel

the chef preparing our sushi dinner on our first night in tokyo

excellent sushi dinner - although jill isn't a huge fan of the roe

chefs like to make things in windows in japan. this guy is making some sort of

at the main gate of the asakusa kaminarimon shinto shrine

tokyo's tsukiji fish market

heron looking for his lunch

at the hamarikyu gardens, an oasis in the centre of the financial district of tokyo

tea and sweets in the hamarikyu gardens tea house

kneeling painfully for this photo at the tea house - somehow this doesn't hurt the japanese

view from the tea house - it was a rainy day but that made the gardens look even more beautiful

the two frogs mean 'to return'. some japanese people keep two frog figures in their wallet so that their spent money will hopefully return to them

tea house at the gardens - when our guide was a girl the buildings in the background did not exist

a very old and auspicious black pine tree

the nittere ohdokei clock which plays a little presentation several times a day

action packed clock

tempura lunch in tokyo

tempura chef filleting a salmon

view of the hamarikyu gardens from an observation deck

the tsukiji fish market from above

our tokyo guide tomoko interacting with the new household robot pepper

ginza shopping district in tokyo

bernd and a branch of the bank he works for in london

jill and our guide purifying themselves with water before entering the meiji shinto shrine

the unusual shoes of a shinto priest at a shinto wedding that was happening at the meiji shrine while we were there

shinto bride and groom with their wedding party

a shinto wedding is a very structured affair

people record their wishes and hang them at the shrine in the hope that they will come true

teenagers dressed up in the harajuku district

harajuku

a photo booth emporium for teenagers in harajuku

editing our highly airbrushed teen pics

these massive candy cones are quite popular

harajuku crowds on a sunday afternoon

dinner at the sky tree restaurant

souvenir split toe socks

waiting for our sushi breakfast at the tsukiji fish market

breakfast did not disappoint

raw fish first thing in the morning? sure

a seaweed stall at the fish market

every part of the fish is for sale

fish and shellfish for sale at the market

a typical wholesaler area at the fish market

tiny office at the fish market

the wholesale area at the fish market after the main selling has died down

prize for identifying the item at top right

the electronics district akihabara in tokyo - a geeks paradise

sumo championship at the ryogoku kokugikan in tokyo

anxious spectators at the sumo

getting ready to rumble

the moment of contact

the top tier wrestlers are presented to the audience

ritual lifting and stamping to show strength and intimidate the opponent

the referee reciting something prior to the action

toilets on sale at yodobashi shop in akihabara

our favourite vending machine jelly drink - pretty sure it would taste disgusting outside of this holiday

another of our favourite vending machine drinks - which claims to have the same composition as bodily fluids. mmmm

convenience store dinner of sushi, grapes, beer, crisps and something that resembled battered curry sauce (and was delicious)

taking the tube at rush hour in tokyo - about the same as london although the stations are a billion times bigger

sign in many public toilets - assume that some japanese only use the traditional squat style

sign in a public toilet explaining what not to do - no fishing! no small bags?

the cable car in hakone (what we call a funicular railway)

cable car from gora in the hakone area

visibility was not good

jill on the ropeway (what we call a cable car)

pirate ship for tourists on lake ashi in hakone

helpful visual of the boat's progress

turntable for a bus

the outdoor communal bath at the kansuiro ryokan in gora

our multi-function room at the kansuiro ryokan

ryokan breakfast - whole fish at 7am anyone

wondering how i will get through all of this

dinner menu at the kansuiro ryokan. there was a lot of food. a lot

the sashimi course included a dead-eyed glare from a lobster

the soup course - you must pour it into the tiny cup without burning yourself

breakfast on day 2. another morning, another fish

the shrine in our room

the dining room which becomes the bedroom by night

our futons being prepared in the evening

the futons were quite comfortable

jill at the hakone open air sculpture museum

japanese sculpture

pegasus

japanese sculpture

the impressive sculpture garden

a moving sculpture

intertwined human figures - one of my favourites

selfie in a suspended mirror ball

there were lots of these tiny crabs in the museum grounds

jill poses near a big hand

one of many henry moore sculptures

jill relaxes in the hot spring footbath - every outdoor attraction should have one

inside a sculpture

a sculpture by anthony gormley

koi carp at the sculpture garden

japanese-style buffet at the sculpture garden. note the sectioned plates - genius. excellent food - puts our soggy national trust sandwiches to shame

the 'romance car' which means scenic route

a cryptic japanese sign

the hakone shrine

purification area at the hakone shrine

the dippers used in the purification process

steps to the hakone shrine

one of many small shrines attached to the hakone shrine

the main gate to the hakone shrine

no selfie sticks!

no selfie sticks or alarming things will occur

japanese signs at a railway station

our bullet train approaches

sign in gion - no pawing the geisha

jill at the kenninji temple in gion

sign outside a wagyu steakhouse in gion, showing the family history of today's cow. i've never known the birthday of a steak before

tourists in gion

matcha cake kebab

no parking - geisha live here!

resident geiko and maiko name signs outside an okiya (geisha house)

gion shrine just for geisha

bridge over the canal in gion

a maiko going about her business. they are hard to spot!

schedule of lessons at a local geisha school

a shop selling geisha hair ornaments

urns for holding ashes as they will be placed in a cemetery (it is illegal to be buried in japan)

a rickshaw with tourists in kyoto

a 'police box' in kyoto - small local station

do not smoke!

lotus flowers in kyoto

unhappy looking chap at the tenryuji temple in kyoto

don't forget to put on the toilet slippers!

this was used to carry the (obviously very small) emperor - tenryuki temple

beautiful gardens at the tenryuji temple

sad looking chinese dragon at the tenryuji temple

gorgeous gardens at the tenryuji temple

they take weeding seriously at the tenryuji temple

a lady copying the sutra at the tenryuji temple

jill enjoying the amazing views at the tenryuji temple

a perfectly raked garden

tenryuji temple

posing in a bamboo forest

a shinto shrine dedicated to hair - people come here to make their hair-related wishes and purchase sacred scissors

hair-related wishes eg cure for baldness or wishing for luck in hairdressing exams

making a wish at the hair shrine (although it's way too late for me)

the hair shrine from a distance

no photos at the railway crossing! we did see someone doing that so clearly the sign is required

fox icons at a shrine related to business - they are auspicious for business success

a japanese cemetery filled with family urn towers

a man laying down moss at a temple

a zen buddhist temple in kyoto

temple mad

a very tight parking space at a house in kyoto

a typical japanese bento box car

jill purifying herself between the two sand oceans at a shinto shrine

watch those monkeys

a village shrine which seems to involve rocks in skirts

shinto shrine with rat guardians

a sign advising people not to feed the stray cats in the area

several stray cats which look pretty healthy! i think people are ignoring the sign

a lady and her furry companion at a temple

nanzenji temple in kyoto

pre-prepared wishes which you can buy at the nanzenji temple in kyoto

nanzenji temple in kyoto

one of the many times i hit my head on something in japan

dinner at a tempura restaurant in kyoto

kyoto rail station - we stayed in the hotel above it. but whenever we came back to the station we couldn't find the hotel - thats how huge the place is

chef making millefeuille in a window - if it isnt observed in japan, it hasn't happened

the tea section in a kyoto department store - somewhat overwhelming

trying on clothes in a japanese department store

the mini post office outside the main post office - in case you can't be bothered going in

people queuing politely for the tube - this would never happen in london

teriyaki rice burger and melon soda at mos burger - delicious

a bus stop spraying people with jets of mist - what a great idea on a hot day

the famous ichiriki tea house in gion - written about in memoirs of a geisha

manner up and put that cigarette out

geisha business cards at an exhibition

jill and a maiko (apprentice geisha). one senses that they lead very different lives

elegant maiko

chanting at the yasaka shrine

jill enjoying a matcha ice cream in gion

tiny purse in a gion shop. not sure what you would use it for

ordering a ramen dinner from a machine - so much choice

checking out a pachinko parlour

trying to play...

a baby holder in a public toilet - handy! every house should have one - just hang up the child and get on with your business

warning of the perils of luggage at a train station

rushing is not advised

drunkenness is not advised

are your phone manners in good shape?

jill at the calico cat cafe in tokyo

a maine coon cat balances on a lady's back for some reason

one of many cute residents at the cat cafe

just chillin

on the lookout for food

i like the attention, really

besieged by cats wanting chicken

buy a container of chicken, become instantly popular

the chicken didn't last long

cat cafes are a popular pastime in tokyo - what better place for a sunday afternoon snooze?

the cats all looked happy and well cared for

shibuya toast is a specialty in a particular part of tokyo - half a loaf of bread filled with cream. why not?

some kind of ceremony happening in shibuya - no idea what it was about

customers keep their own sake bottles at the bar at a yakitori restaurant in tokyo

a chef cooking our yakitori dinner

delicious yakitori dinner. the little green things are gingko nuts

fancy an ice cold coke from a vending machine? nah, i'll have a beer thanks

at the shop that sells everything (literally everything) don quijote in asakusa

at don quijote you will find chocolate next to ironing boards next to lipsticks

lucky cats and other souvenirs

the money tray used everywhere in japan - we worked this out after days of crassly thrusting cash at people

plastic models of food outside a restaurant - these are everywhere and so realistic looking! they are made especially for the restaurant to look exactly like their dishes

noodles being eaten by an invisible person - my favourite food model

wedding at the very fancy palace hotel in tokyo, where were spent out final night

our room at the palace hotel in tokyo

our glitzy mini bar at the palace hotel - we didn't touch it of course. we bought beer from a corner shop

toilet controls at the palace hotel. what else could you wish for?

view from our balcony at the palace hotel in tokyo

tokyo at night