Tokyo to Hiroshima pt 2.

In the same stylee as part 1... I think I'll do this from now on when I've got a bit too many pics... unless people complain.

Link or copy and paste...

http://telek.smugmug.com/gallery/9067582_tvmUC

Tokyo to Hiroshima pt 1.

I'm gonna mix it up a bit and make you go to my smugmug page... with too many pics, it's too tedious...

http://telek.smugmug.com/gallery/9060556_iKpif

Tsukiji-Fish Market

Warning: This may not provide the best viewing if you are eating... or maybe... if you are like me, your appetite may swell.

Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest wholesale fish market in the world. It's like being in an aquarium filled with ninjas. There's some 60,000 employees there.

The shipment of fish arrive at 3 am, and the bidding starts at 5:20... and it's over by 7 am... but the market is busiest from 5:30 until 8 am or so. This would be a photographers dream IMHO.

This was my second visit (first time with Flapjack) and it was just as good as I recall






Tuna are the main feature at the market... tuna get auctioned off around 4 am for the local sushi restaurants.



















Filleting unagi.








Some of the fish come frozen...




This is what every row looks like... maybe 20 rows, all about 500 m long or so?




Octopus...


Tuna


Cutting frozen tuna... Kevin's favorite job.









Look at all the boxes outside.


After looking at all the goodies, we got hungry. And had the traditional breakfast sushi a block away.


From the pics, you don't get how hectic this place can be... it's also HUGE.


Ninja in action


Filleting a tuna


...part 2


If you still haven't had enough, check out the video by Lonely Planet.
http://www.lonelyplanet.tv/Clip.aspx?key=C747184F0B70A34E

Sacred Lotus

We went on a small field trip out to a park to check out a sacred lotus garden. The seeds have been known to last a long, looong time... the oldest being 1300 years!
















Anyway... the lotus flowers open every morning, so we got an early start... which was good as that meant we had time to visit the train museum on the way back to Kawagoe.

Oh... and most of these pics were taken on my Olympus 1030. Most of the good macro shots anyway. That's about the only thing it's good for... and it's semi-waterproof. It's proved to not be so waterproof 3 times already on this trip, and we've had to deal with that...

Onsens...

are definitely one of the best things about Japan... we're on the road now, making full use of our JR rail passes. Left Kawagoe 2 nights ago... went through Kamikochi, Nagano in the Japan Alps (where we jumped in the Onsen after a nice hike... and after a morning trail run that featured monkeys, climbers, and "hikers" in high heels).

Just imagine... after a long backpacking, climbing, ski, kayak, etc... trip hopping into an onsen for an hour as the aches in your back melt away in a natural outdoor hot spring... that is clean, cheap, and located everywhere... in fact more than any other country in the world.

talented cyclists.

Everyone in Japan (I'm convinced) knows how to ride a bike... and ride it well. There are blind corners everywhere... people ride with their 2 year old in front, and their 4 year old on the back... and granparents 90+ yrs old still go grocery shopping on their bikes... and less than 1.5% of the population wears a helmet... Japan could improve their bicycle safety laws... as well as their public smoking laws...

The rainy season is good for witnessing extra talent... take the pictured guy for example.

Not only was he holding two umbrellas... AND a little sheet for his lap... BUT... his cell phone started ringing... (I'm guessing he was in a hurry?)... and he deftly answered it with his other hand (riding no handed for a bit), squeezed the phone between his cheek and shoulder so he could put one hand back on the handlebar ... and maneuvered his way across a busy intersection while dodging pedestrians, puddles, and cars... without breaking a sweat.

I did just following him. And I got scared just taking the picture one handed while holding ONE umbrella... soon... I'll master the two umbrella technique.

Nikko

Nikko, located in Tochigi Prefecture (140 km North of Tokyo), is one of Japan's major attractions. Located in the mountains, with amazing temples, and rich history, it's a popular place to visit.



Nikko is where Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established the shogunate that ruled for more than 250 years starting after the battle of Sekigahara up until the Meiji Restoration when Commodore Perry arrived on his famous black ships, opening up Japan for trade... and the rest is history.



Anyway the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, built by Ieyasu's grandson in 1617 is probably what Nikko is most known for... pretty modest. I would have built something that stands out. He only used 15,000 artisans working 2 years straight.











Also, the famous three monkeys... "see no evil, hear no evil, ans speak no evil" is here at the sacred stables... the current horse is a Kiwi... donated by the NZ government.



Even at World Heritage Sites... I guess folks don't like to double check their signs.


a word to the wise... don't wear these types of shoes to Nikko... or to Japan... or really ever.


The area has 1400 year old trees that were planted when the area was first considered a special site.


... and the Enumsibi-No-Sasa... people believed that if a couple can tie this bamboo grass usiing only their thumbs and pinky, the couple will be married... hmmm...



... and Sake-No-Izumi... literally the "fountain of sake". I ran up to this one, much to my disappointment. It's just water... but I guess if you are a sake maker, you are supposed to add a little water from this spring, and your sake comes out choice.


That night we were exhausted... I think sightseeing uses different types of energy. We walked up the road to a small onsen and relazed.


The next morning, went on a quick run...


Then we took a bus up Iroha-zaka road...


Up to a beautiful lake (Lake Chuzenji) with Nantai-San (Black Body Mtn) looming behind. Kimbo and I did a nice hike near by, and took a look at one of Japan's highest waterfalls at 97 meters... which has an elevator you can ride to the bottom... enticing, but we didn't ride the elevator down.