We went to Japan again this year. Naoko and Zen were there for nearly three weeks, I was there for only 1.5 weeks as I didn’t have much leave time (and I had a big business trip to Australia in early June). This year we did a few day trips, to Osaka, Ako and Kyoto, and I also met up in Himeji with my ex-boss, Emmanuel Daniel of The Asian Banker, which was great fun. Here are the pics from the trip!! Click on the pics to see larger versions.
(Note – I went to the gym today, after four weeks away, two of which were spent in Japan not exercising, chilling out, drinking beer, eating what I want… I found that I’d gained: 0.00 kilograms!!)
Naoko & Zen at the family home in Himeji.
At Naoko’s brother’s house, with his niece’s pet snake.
My wife’s niece and her baby snake – yikes!!
At Naoko’s brother’s house with Naoko’s niece and great-nephew!
With Zen, my father-in-law, and his friend from Nepal at the Nepali restaurant.
Lovely curry and cheese nan at my father-in-law’s friend’s Nepali restaurant in Himeji
With Emmanuel Daniel in front of Himeji Castle.
Emmanuel Daniel in Himeji Castle.
Himeji castle
Behind Himeji Castle.
Himeji castle area at sunset.
Naoko in front of her parents’ house at sunset.
At Minatoya okonomiyaki restaurant in Ako.
Hanging out with our old friend Trevor at Minato-ya in Ako.
A picture taken of us 16 years ago at Minato-ya in Ako that we found hanging on the walls there still!
Posing with our picture of 16 years ago at Minato-ya in Ako.
With Trevor and Kayo at Minato-ya in Ako.
Frying up some okonomiyaki at Minatoya in Ako.
Hanging out with our pal Trevor at Ako Misaki.
Oishi shrine in Ako.
Zen meets Daikoku-ten at the Oishi Shrine in Ako.
Yebisu-san statue at Oishi Shrine in Ako.
Tsutenkaku in south Osaka.
The best kebab sandwich I’ve ever had in my life!! With Jason & Matt in Osaka.
Getting ready to enter Jigokudani in Osaka!
Maid (mei-do) bar in Jigokudani in Kyoto. Great food, lovely karaoke, great prices!
In Osaka’s jigokudani with my posse having a great time.
An illuminated gin & tonic in Jigokudani in Osaka.
With my friends Jason (who I know from living in Nishinomiya) & Grant (who I know from living in Ako) in Osaka.
The entrance at the Fujino ranch in Himeji.
Big family Father’s Day dinner at the Fujino home in Himeji.
Daichi wearing my hat at the Father’s Day family gathering – makes him look like Jiggen Daisuke from Lupin Sansei!!
Me and my brother-in-law.
My father-in-law with his great-grandson.
Dinner, big Father’s Day family gathering.
My father-in-law trying on my hat at the big Father’s Day family gathering.
Heading out for our bicycle tour along the Ichikawa river to North Himeji.
A reinforced rapid along the Ichikawa River in North Himeji.
Beautiful roses at the North Himeji rose garden (bala-in).
Zen & Naoko in front of a beautiful rose bush at the North Himeji rose garden (bala-in).
Getting ready for some monjayaki and okonomiyaki in Himeji.
A nice meal of monjayaki with Naoko’s mom.
Fushimi Inari Taisha in Fushimi town, a part of Kyoto. The front gate was not so crowded when we entered around 8:00 AM.
Fushimi Inari Taisha.
View of Kyoto from Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Fushimi Inari Taisha.
This shrine with a tree growing through the entrance… wow!
Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Daruma statue at Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Fushimi Inari Taisha front gate – now much more crowded.
Interesting eel complex in Uji, near Kyoto.
Statue of Murasaki Shikibu in Uji, near Kyoto, where a large part of her Tale Of Genji is set.
Uji bridge, supposedly the oldest in the world.
On the Uji bridge over the Kamogawa in Uji, near Kyoto.
The Kamogawa from Uji bridge in Uji, near Kyoto.
Drinking tea next to the Uji bridge in Uji, near Kyoto.
Zen’s ocha soba in Uji.
An old tea house in Uji, near Kyoto.
Strange “watch out for running kids” sign in Uji, near Kyoto.
Beautiful wisteria structure in front of Byodoin in Kyoto.
Byodoin, the building that can be seen on one side of a Japanese 10 yen coin.
Byodoin in Kyoto – a group of elderly setting up for a group photo, and a group of students heading to do the same.
Family portrait in front of Byodoin in Uji, near Kyoto.
Another Nepalese restaurant! This one in Kyoto, near Tofukuji.
Tofukuji in Kyoto
Tofukuji pond.
Buddhist altar in Tofukuji in Kyoto.
Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto
View of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera.
Hydrangea at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto.
View of Gion from Kiyomizu-dera.
View of Kiyomizu-dera.
Taking in the waters at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto.
Jizo-sama in Kyoto.
Yae no ume in Kyoto!!
Kyoto, and the world’s most demure Starbucks!
Heading down a shady trail to Yasaka-jinja in Kyoto.
Funky modern architecture in Kyoto.
Gion-kaku tower in Kyoto.
Yasaka-jinja in Kyoto
Leaving Yasaka-jinja in Kyoto
Kamogawa in Kyoto
The Kamogawa near Ponto-cho in Kyoto.
Naoko & Zen chilling on the banks of the Kamogawa, Ponto-cho restaurants seen behind them.
With Naoko & Zen & my mother-in-law at the Nagahama Ramen shop in Himeji.
Zen, my brother-in-law and me on our last (full) day in Japan)
View of Himeji from Tegarai-yama on our last (full) day in Japan. A bullet train is passing.
View of Himeji from Tegarai-yama on our last (full) day in Japan. Himeji Castle can be seen in the distance.
With Zen on Tegarai-yama on our last (full) day in Japan.
Dinner at the Fujino ranch in Himeji on our last (full) day in Japan.
I found this old picture from 1996, celebrating Naoko & my engagement. That’s Daichi sitting on my father-in-law’s lap.
Four generations of the family, including Naoko, her nephew, her mother and grandmother. This picture was probably also from 1996.
An old picture of Naoko’s grandmother’s chrysanthemum exhibition. This may have been 1999 or so.
And now for the best part… the food!
