 Drinking Champagne on the flight to Tokyo, Japan |
 Settled in for Atlanta to Tokyo flight |
 Flying over the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta |
 Arrival at Tokyo Narita International Airport |
 Tokyo traffic on the way to our hotel |
 Our first restaurant in Tokyo, Japan |
 Japanese Yakatori and Beer with Graham and June Short |
 Welcome to the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo |
 Sitting on giant robot at entry to Robot Restaurant in Tokyo |
 Robot Restaurant Bar in Tokyo |
 Graham meets a Robot |
 Bill at Robot Restaurant Bar in Tokyo |
 Drinks before Robot Restaurant Showtime |
 Robot Band in Tokyo |
 Robot Restaurant Showroom is several floors below the bar |
 Robot Restaurant show opens with Japanese Taiko Drummers |
 More drummers introduce an evil float at the Robot Restaurant |
 Robot Restaurant is all about good versus evil |
 Giant bird at Robot Restaurant in Tokyo |
 An obviously evil float at Robot Restaurant |
 Performer at Robot Restaurant in Tokyo |
 Performers on Dragon Float at Robot Restaurant in Tokyo |
 A little bit of Halloween at the Robot Restaurant |
 Halloween is becoming more popular in Japan |
 Giant Panda is a hero at Robot Restaurant |
 Giant Frog fights evil robots at Robot Restaurant |
 Evil Robot at Robot Restaurant |
 Fire-breathing Dragonfly and Ninja Turtle at the Robot Restaurant |
 Giant Snake enters the Robot Restaurant |
 The snake is one of the good guys at Robot Restaurant |
 Giant Snake finishes off a villain at Robot Restaurant |
 A Japanese Vampire at the Robot Restaurant |
 Performer at the Robot Restaurant |
 Big lightsticks at the Robot Restaurant |
 MC at the Robot Restaurant |
 Salute to countries of the world at the Robot Restaurant |
 Giant Chicken with eggs of the world at the Robot Restaurant |
 Riding a Giant Turtle at the Robot Restaurant |
 Robot Dog at the Robot Restaurant |
 At Robot Restaurant Show Finale |
 Entrance sign to Golden Gai in the Shinjunku District of Tokyo |
 A little cold in Golden Gai area of Tokyo |
 Golden Gai is 6 narrow alleys with more than 200 tiny bars and clubs (most seat less than 10) |
 Notice we found in our hotel room upon our return |
 Our view of Mt Fuji the morning after Typhoon Hagibis passed through Tokyo |
 Looking at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Tokyo Tocho) from our hotel room |
 Shoji Kyoto is our tour guide for a day in Tokyo |
 Tokyo subway station decor |
 The first wooden Torii Gate at Meji Shrine is made of 1500-year old cypress |
 Stone bridge on the path to Meji Shrine in Tokyo |
 Barrels of Burgundy wine offered by France to consecrate the spirit of Emperor Meji |
 Sake barrels are offered annually to honor the enshrined dieties of Meji Shrine |
 Second Torii Gate into Meji Shrinei is the biggest of its kind in Japan at 40 feet |
 Performing the purifying ritual before entering the shrine |
 Entrance to Meji Shrine |
 Meji Shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken |
 Traditional Japanese Wedding at Meji Shrine |
 Japanese Groom and Bride at Meji Shrine |
 Japanese girls celebrate a rite of passage at ages 3 and 7 at Meji Shrine |
 Another wedding at Meji Shrine |
 Sweeping the courtyard at Meji Shrine |
 Tokyo rickshaw mixes with modern traffic |
 Lunch at Tempura Restaurant in Tokyo |
 The Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) is the outer gate of Sensoji Temple in Tokyo |
 Thunder Gate was first built in 941 AD, but moved to this location in 1635 AD |
 The wooden carving of a dragon on the bottom of the great red lantern on the Kaminarimon |
 The Nakamise-dori is a street on the approach to the Sensoji Temple |
 Masks for sale on the Nakamise-dori street |
 Lanterns decorate the street to Sensoji Temple |
 Tokyo Skytree is the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa |
 The Hozomon is the main gate (10th century) to Sensoji Temple |
 Entering through the left side of the Hozomon gate |
 The smoke from the 'Jokoro' in front of Sensoji Temple is supposed to have healing powers |
 The 'Goju no To' five-storied pagoda (942 AD) holds Buddha's ashes |
 Sensoji Temple (founded 645 AD) is the oldest in Tokyo |
 Inside Sensoji Temple |
 Line waiting to see Sensoji Temple |
 In Buddhism, the swastika is considered to symbolize the auspicious footprints of the Buddha |
 The Nisonbutsu in Tokyo depict the Bodhisa Seshi on the left and Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara on the right |
 Crossing the Sumida River in Tokyo |
 Dai-Ichi Seimei Building was where Douglas MacArthur had his headquarters during the occupation of Japan following World II |
 The stone wall above the moat of the Imperial Palace dates to the 14th century |
 Meganebashi (Eyeglass Bridge) is the stone bridge at the Imperial Palace built in 1889 |
 Fujimi-Yagura Watchtower (1659) at Tokyo Imperial Palace |
 Imperial Guards on the Eyeglass Bridge provide security for the Emporer of Japan |
 Changing of the Imperial Guards at the Tokyo Imperial Palace |
 Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple (founded in 1617) but rebuilt in 1934 |
 Namiyoke Inari (protection from waves) Shrine with lighted lanterns |
 Namiyoke Inari Shrine was founded in 1658 |
 Lion-dog figure at Namiyoke Inari Shrine |
 Present Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple was heavily influenced by Indian temples |
 Tokyo Government Office Towers at night |
 Waiting for elevator to South Observation Tower in Tokyo Government Office Towers |
 Arriving at the 45th floor of the South Observation Tower in Tokyo Government Office Building |
 City of Tokyo and Skytree from South Tower Observation Deck |
 Our Hotel (KEIO Plaza) from South Observation Tower |
 Tokyo has been selected to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games |
 First look at the Port of Yokohama, Japan |
 Panoramic View of Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama, Japan |
 1st Leg of Far East Cruise on Holland America Westerdam |
 Onboard the Holland America Westerdam |
 Stateroom 6066 on the Holland America Westerdam |
 Excited to have double sinks and a tub in our cabin |
 Intersting benches on elevator landings of the Holland America Westerdam |
 Statues in the stairwell going to Deck 9 on the Westerdam |
 Pool on the Westerdam |
 Pool Bar on Deck 9 on the Westerdam |
 Curious Statue on the Holland America Westerdam |
 Our first Happy Hour with Graham and June Short from Australia |
 First Gala Night on Westerdam |
 Martini Tasting on the Westerdam |
 Tonight's Martinis |
 'Orange Night' on the Westerdam |
 Dinner in Canaletto on 'Orange Night' |
 Second Gala Night on the Westerdam |
 Chinese Dragon in the Lido Buffet |
 Clothesline Candied Bacon at Pinnacle Grill on the Westerdam |
 Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill on the Westdam |
 Not-So-Classic Baked Alaska |
 Shuffleboard and wine on the Westerdam |
 Still don't know how our waiter did this |
 Going to the Halloween Party |
 Ready for the Halloween Party |
 Crew Pumpkin Carving Contest |
 Crew Pumpkin Carving Contest |
 Bar Team won Pumpkin Carving using Orange Beads from us |
 We didn't win the costume contest, but we only took what was easy to pack |
 Last night of Martini tasting |
 A few of our favorite towel art animals on the Westerdam |
 Minato Mirai 21 is a seaside urban area of Yokohama, Japan |
 Sailing into Osaka, Japan |
 Docked in Osaka, Japan |
 Truck stop on the way from Osaka to Kyoto, Japan |
 On the road from Osaka to Kyoto, Japan |
 On the road from Osaka to Kyoto, Japan |
 Japanese school kids visiting Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan |
 Entering the 'first gate' into grounds of Rokuon-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan |
 Rokuon-ji (officially) in Kyoto, Japan is known as Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion) |
 The Golden Pavilion was completed in 1397, but rebuilt after burning in 1950 |
 The Golden Pavilion is situated on a pond garden typical of the Muromachi period |
 The Golden Pavilion is covered with 200,000 sheets of gold leaf |
 The Golden Pavilion was built as a retirement dwelling for Shogun Yoshimitsu |
 The Pond Garden contains rocks donated by provencial lords of each period |
 The Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) is a Buddhist Temple containing relics of Buddha |
 People throw coins for luck in the gardens of The Golden Pavilion |
 An-min-taku Pond has never dried up and contains Hakuja-no-tsuka (white snake mound) Pagoda |
 Moat and guard tower surrounding Nijo Castle (1603) |
 Yagura-mon (upgraded in 1626) is the main gate to Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 Chinese-style Karamon Gate guards the second ring of Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 In front of Chinese-style Karamon Gate into Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 Details of Karamon Gate at Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 Carvings on Karamon Gate at Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 Ninomaru Palace, Kyoto was the site of the return of authority to the Imperial Court (1867) by Tokugawa Yoshinobu (last Shogun) |
 Taking off shoes before entering Ninomaru Palace |
 Ohiroma (Grand Hall) in Ninomaru Palace is where 'restoration to Imperial Rule' took place |
 Ohiroma Yon-no-ma (4th Room) in Ninomaru Palace contains the most famous wall painting (Matsutaka-zu) in the palace |
 Hanging bells were used to warn the populace surrounding the Shogunate of fires and other emergencies |
 Underneath 'nightingale floors' that make a chirping sound when walked upon (to warn of intruders) |
 Gardens of Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 Typical Japanese toilet |
 How to use Japanese toilet |
 Susan at the base Yagura-mon Gate at Nijo Castle in Kyoto |
 One of many coffee shops in Japan |
 Lunch at Fortune Garden Restaurant in Kyoto |
 Any idea which one of these actually flushes the toilet? |
 Most Barber Shops in Japan have an barber pole out front |
 Gate to Heian Shrine in Kyoto |
 Purification ritual before entering Heian-jinku Shrine |
 A purification basin inside the gate of Heian Shrine |
 The Heian Shrine (796 AD) was re-built in 1895 to celebrate the 1100th anniversary of the capital's foundation in Kyoto |
 White items on the tree are written wishes or prayers |
 The Garden of Heian Jintu Shrine |
 Taihei-kaku is a wooden bridge in the Garden of the Heian Shrine |
 Taihei-kaku hashidono (covered bridge) was moved from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Garden |
 Replicas of Samurai Helmets |
 Replica of Samurai o-yoroi (armor) that cost more than Bill was willing to spend |
 Western influence on architecture in Kyoto, Japan |
 Houses along the Shirakawa Canal in Kyoto |
 Biking along the Shirakawa Canal in Kyoto |
 Farmland between Kyoto and Osaka, Japan |
 Tempozan Ferris Wheel in Osaka is 369 feet tall |
 When Tempozan Ferris Wheel opened in Osaka July 12, 1997, it was then the tallest Ferris wheel in the world |
 Sailing away from Osaka, Japan under a bright moon |
 Interesting design of Nagasaki Cruise Terminal, Japan |
 View of Nagasaki, Japan from our balcony |
 Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture |
 Reconstructed Magistrate's Office in the Nagasaki Museum, which existed during the Edo Period (1603-1868) |
 Machi-bugyo were magistrates of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period |
 Our guide, Yoko, demonstrates court proceedings in the Edo Period |
 Transcript of Magistrate Court document from 1828 |
 This room in the Magistrate's Office was used for inspection of imported articles |
 Screen in Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture |
 Mother-of-Pearl inlaid desk from the late Edo Period in Japan |
 Early statues of Maso (the protective deity of navigation) in Nagasaki, Japan |
 Model of the Chinese residential quarter in Nagasaki around 1800 |
 Chinese sea goddess Matsu and her two guardians |
 Chinese all-seeing guardian |
 Chinese all-hearing guardian |
 Utsutsugawa ware (1691-1749)) in Nagasaki |
 Sword Rack with mother-of-pearl inlay |
 Transportation in Nagasaki, Japan |
 Statue in front of Peace Memorial Museum, Nagasaki |
 Dome over Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki |
 1,000 oragami cranes represent a wish for peace at the Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki |
 Ramp down in Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki |
 Clock that stopped at the exact time the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan |
 Mushroom cloud from atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki |
 Reproduction of remains of Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki (located about .3 miles from hypocenter of bomb) |
 Interesting information in the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Events leading to Nagasaki being selected as potential target for atomic bomb |
 Information in the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Information in the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Information in the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Information in the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Replica of the Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki |
 Facts about 'Fatman' -- the Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki |
 Photo of remains of residential district in Nagasaki (located about .2 mile from hypocenter of bomb) |
 Fires broke out more than 2 miles from the hypocenter of bomb |
 'The Road to the Atomic Bomb' in Nagasaki's Atomic Bomb Museum |
 Famous photograph by American Joe O'Donnell of Japanese boy waiting at a crematory to hand over his dead baby brother |
 Strings of paper cranes donated to the Atomic Bomb Museum by individuals wishing for peace |
 Outside the Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Memorial Hall in Nagasaki |
 The basin at the National Peace Memonrial Hall in Nagasaki |
 Monuments on hill across from Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Sculpture across from Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki |
 Nagasaki Peace Park |
 Nagasaki Peace Statue is 32.8 feet tall and represents a mixture of western and eastern art, religion, and ideology |
 Man in Nagasaki Peace Park who miraculously survived the blast while working in the Mitsubishi Weapons Plant (.68 miles fro |
 'Nagasaki Peace Bell' Monment in Nagasaki Peace Park |
 Nagasaki Peace Bell from Urakami Cathedral survived the A-bomb blast on August 9, 1945 |
 Back entrance to Nagasaki Peace Park |
 Nagasaki Fountain of Peace sprays water in the shape of dove's wings |
 A monument in the 'Peace Symbols Zone' in Peace Park, Nagasaki |
 The 'Peace Symbols Zone' contains 49 monuments donated from countries around the world to the Peace Park in Nagasaki |
 Monument donated by the USA to the 'Peace Symbols Zone' in the Peace Park, Nagasaki |
 Interesting monument in the 'Peace Symbols Zone' in the Peace Park, Nagasaki |
 Monument in the 'Peace Symbols Zone' in the Peace Park, Nagasaki |
 Remains of Urakami Branch of Nagasaki Prison (closest public building at about 100-350 m from ground zero) in Peace Park, Nagasa |
 Stone 'One-legged Torii Gate' in Nagasaki survived being 800 m from the explosion epicenter |
 Looking at Nagasaki from our balcony aboard the Westerdam |
 Farewell performance from Nagasaki, Japan |
 Local farewell from Nagasaki, Japan |
 Big hands waving goodbye from Nagasaki |
 Japan Coast Guard in Nagasaki |
 Hillside Cemetery in Nagasaki |
 High-rise apartments in Nagasaki suburbs |
 Megami Bridge is at the entrance of the Port of Nagasaki |
 Headed into the East China Sea from Nagasaki |