Tokyo - New Year`s 2006

Tokyo Tower

The view from the tower.




Carlos, Yuko and I - at the gate to the Imperial Palace.

We weren`t allowed inside.

The moat surrounding the palace.

near Tokyo Station.

I noticed some girls making heart symbols when they said goodbye to each other on the subways. It`s not as cute when i do it.

Carlos - learning the rules in Japan.



In Shibuya. We went to an Izakaya here (Japanese bar)

In Shibuya

Sorry. A japanese toilet - not that you needed to see one.


In Harajuku.

Mickey Mouse will always be number one. But Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh do quite well in Japan too.

English - bad english - everywhere!

?????

Carlos - hanging with the locals.

Inside the concrete jungle.

One of a thousand line-ups we stood in. This one - to see Christmas Lights - drove me right over the edge.

sushi.

I still don`t know what they were doing.

How to end a long day of sightseeing - at a bar in Roppongi.


This sidewalk map showed us how to find the Buddhist Temple in Tsukiji. (the reverse swastica)

Tsukiji Temple.


inside. The entire altar is solid gold.

some monks sweeping. they always seem to be sweeping.



Carlos meets the famous Japanese Walking Instructor.

Entering Meiji Shrine, New Year`s Eve.

Falling asleep on the train - which accounts for most of my life in Japan.

The McBastards are everywhere.


Yuko and Aki.

Tokyo - Tsukiji Fish Market

December 30th 2005
Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo
With Carlos and Yuko

Doesn`t this make your mouth water?
At one restaurant I went to, octopus was served live - squirming and thrashing on the table. You have to chew it well.

Fresh tuna. right off the boat.

Baked salmon and sapporo for breakfast.

Yuko, Carlos and me

The owner of the coolest sushi bar in Tsukiji. Great mustache.

Wasabe!

this caught me by surprise

the end

Tokyo - Yasukuni Shrine

December 30th 2005
with Carlos and Yuko

every shrine has a gateway to pass through. this one is massive.

The Yasukuni Shrine has caused a lot of controversy lately - as it hosts a tribute to Japanese war dead - many of whom were convicted of war crimes at the Tokyo trials. The controversy surrounds Prime Minister Koizumi`s regular visits to the shrine - which angers China and Korea. They have demanded he stop doing so as a show of goodwill. Even within Japan, the visits are a touchy issue.

We walked around and took some photos.


where you wash up before approaching the shrine

more sake than carlos can drink alone. i might have to help him.

where the new year`s party takes place. there`s a small stage for live theatre.

Yuko