Hawaii and Japan

2005-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

1. Byodo-In Temple
This temple was built by Buddhist Bishops in 1968 to Commemorate 100 years of Japanese immigration to Hawaii. It is a replica of a 900 year old temple in Uji Japan.

2005-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

2. Byodo-In Temple
Located on the east coast of Oahu off the Kahekili Highway

2005-01-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

3. Chinaman's Hat Island
This island is on the east coast. It's Hawaiian name is Mokoli'i, perhaps that is a more politically correct name these days. This side of the island is the windward. Even though the island of Oahu is only about 40 miles long and 24 miles wide there are three distinct climates. The windward which is often rainy and windy, the leeward which is very changeable, (It can pour torrential rain in minutes) and the valleys between which can be either.

2005-01-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

4. The Banzai Pipeline
This beach is famous for it's surfing. Because of the coral reef and the undertow, it is dangerous. A top surfer was killed here last year. That's me at the end. The surf you see was not good enough on this day and a major contest was cancelled. The surf wasn't high enough. We were told this was six feet. It was probably eight to ten but, it can reach thirty feet and higher in the winter. (November on)

2005-01-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

5. This is the Arizona Memorial.
The attack on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese on Dec 7, 1941 killed 2,390 soldiers, destroyed 18 battleships and 200 aircraft. Under us, there are over a 1000 people who lost their lives when the Arizona suffered a direct hit.

2005-01-14T16:54:00.001-08:00

7. Germaine's Luau
Germaine's is a popular Luau on the west coast. It seldom rains here. Each day they prepare a Kalua pig in a traditional imu or underground pit. It is covered by leaves and cooks all day. The Luau is a mixture of food, drink and entertainment. We took a bus. Lucky we did. Germaine's is at Barber's Point.

2005-01-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

6. Queen Lil'uokalani
Hawaii's last monarch. She was removed from her throne and placed under arrest in her own palace by a coup of American businessmen. Although not supported by President Cleveland, a democrat, it passed through a republican provisional government. Many people in Hawaii still seek independence to this day and we met a few. The United States has offered an official apology however, it does not change anything.

2005-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

8. Polynesian Cultural Center
On the east coast is the PCC a Disneyland type village belonging to the Mormon Church. It is near Brigham Young University, Hawaii Campus and uses students as cast members. They are actually Mormons from Tonga, Tahiti, The Marquesas, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa and Hawaii working for their university tuition. This is something we should consider in Canada. It is a great idea. This student was a favourite with Eleanor.

2005-01-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

9. Looking for the Pig
I got to act up a lot at the Polynesian Center but, I'm not a Mormon.

2005-01-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

10. Tonga
My buddy and I. I taught him all I know about the drums.

2005-01-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

11. These are buddies from New Zealand. The Maories.
You can see that I have friends that take care of business. Please do not upset me.

2005-01-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

12. Waikiki Beach
In November, the waves here are small compared to the east coast but, there are surfers everywhere. Note the Labatts umbrella.

2005-01-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

13. Hibiscus

2005-01-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

14. Backyard of our Ryocan in Nara
Ryocan's are traditional hotels in Japan. Some offer meals but, they are definitely not bed and breakfasts. You sleep in a futon on a tatami mat. Sometimes comfortable but often it takes getting used to. Nara was the first capital of Japan in 710 and contains much of Japan's early culture.

2005-01-14T16:46:00.000-08:00

15. Eating Breakfast
This Ryocan did provide breakfast. The room and breakfast was about 10,000 yen or close to $120 Canadian, $100 US. This is about the cost when you go. Hotels are much more expensive.

2005-01-14T16:45:00.001-08:00

16a Yoshiko
This was our guide in Nara for nearly ten hours. She is now our dear friend.

2005-01-14T16:45:00.000-08:00

16. Inside our room
Here you can see the two futons on the tatami mats. The futon is about a three inch pad covered by a comforter. On the left side is a heater, the only way to heat your room. In this area the average temperature in November is 10 degrees C or 50F. While we were there is got up quite a few degrees higher. You only needed a light jacket. Also, out of the picture is a TV. We never watched while we were there but, it had a box that you fed 100 yen coins into. That's a little over $1.

2005-01-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

17. Todaiji Temple
The is the largest wooden structure in the world. It was re-built in 1709 and is only two thirds the original size. It houses a giant bronze Buddha which took five years to cast and nearly crippled the economy of the time in 746. The Buddha is over sixteen meters tall. To complete the casting, the artisan climbed through the Buddha's nose.

2005-01-14T16:43:00.000-08:00

18. Gardens in Nara, Japan
Japanese gardens are well known and they are everywhere in Japan however, they rarely are flower gardens. They consist of trees, ponds and tea rooms.

2005-01-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

19. Cleansing before entering a Temple or Shrine
It is customary that you was your hands and take a small drink to cleanse your mouth before entering a Shinto Shrine or a Buddhist Temple. Most Shintos will also worship in a Buddhist Temple. We are still in Nara with Yoshiko, our guide. If you go to Nara, book a guide in advance. Yoshiko took us around Nara for nine and a half hours ... just Elle and I and it cost us her lunch. There is no charge and, there is no tipping anywhere in Japan. You will insult waiters, taxi drivers etc. if you try to tip. We correspond with Yoshiko often. Her knowledge of Japan was of great value to our trip.

2005-01-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

20. Shrine Day
When a girl or boy reaches 30 days, three, five and seven years they dress in their finest Kimonos and go to the shrine with their parents for what is probably an equivalent to our first communion or baptism. There is probably $15,000 worth on Kimonos here or more. A good quality one will run you $5,000. You can of course rent them.

2005-01-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

21. Cute

2005-01-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

22. Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto
In Nara, we were on our own. We met Carolyn in Kyoto which was Japan's second capital. Edo (Tokyo) became the seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603 and Kyoto became marginalized. In 1868 The emperor Meiji adopted Edo as his capital. This is the Golden Temple originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for the third Shogunate. A monk obsessed with it's charm burned it in 1950 and it was rebuilt 1955 with gold leaf five times the original thickness. It was finished completely in 1987.

2005-01-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

23. Another view

2005-01-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

24. The little Man
These statues can be garden decorations or, more usually remembrances of the dead, even headstones.

2005-01-14T16:36:00.001-08:00

25. Ginkakuji Temple
One of the later Shoguns in 1482 wanted a pavilion covered in silver for his palace yet it was never covered in silver due to a lack of funds. It became a temple later, thus this temple is called The Silver Temple.

2005-01-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

25a. Ginkakuji Temple
A view from the hill above.

2005-01-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

26. Choosing a Meal
This way of buying food, by first looking at a plastic replica, is common in Japan, not just for tourists. 500 yen is about $7.00.

2005-01-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

27. Kiyo Mizu Temple
A few times a year they light the Shrines and Temples. We were very lucky to see this however, so were thousands and thousands of others, mostly Japanese. The name in English is Clear Water Temple. First established by a small Buddhist sect in 798, it was rebuilt in 1633.

2005-01-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

28. Nijo Castle
This was the home of the Shogunate from 1603 until 1867 when the Shogun returned the castle and sovereignty to the Imperial family. The floors inside the castle are called "Nightingale floors"; they creak at the slightest touch. If heard, the Shogun's Samurai would respond immediately.

2005-01-14T16:32:00.001-08:00

29a. The Tram to Koyasan
As you go down, the car straight ahead moves to the track on the right while you stay on the left. Timing is "everything." The trip up or down last quite a few minutes.

2005-01-14T16:32:00.000-08:00

29. Fumonin Temple
This temple, on the sacred mountain of Koyasan, is over 300 years old. To reach it, you must take a train from Osaka to Namba, the end of the line and go up the mountain on the tram. At the station you transfer to a bus that takes you further up the mountain to the temples. There are hundreds. We stayed overnight here. All meals are vegetarian. Koyasan is over 1200 years old and was home to a group of Esoteric Buddhists. Women were not allowed on the mountain until the late 1800's. Poor Monks!

2005-01-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

30. Another view

2005-01-14T16:30:00.000-08:00

31. Talking Japanese
Carolyn is talking to the person that booked us in and brought both our dinner and breakfast. Carolyn thought he was quite cute and is using hand signals and her Japanese to tell him about us. The dinner was veggie. Carolyn and I liked it but, Elle is not into Tofu. In the morning we attended Buddhist prayers a 6:30 am. It is much colder on the mountain but the rooms are heated quite well with space heaters.

2005-01-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

32. The Gardens outside our room at Fumonin
These gardens are about 300 years old.

2005-01-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

33. This is a child's gravesite
On Koyasan there are over 200,000 graves. When a person goes to heaven, they go unclothed and wait on the other side of a river waiting to be taken to heaven. Especially when the person is a child, the family will often dress the stone to protect them from the cold.

2005-01-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

34. Miya Jima, Otorii Gate
Just across from Hiroshima is another sacred area, this time an island but, it too has a mountain. This is the floating gate and it is considered one of the three best sites in Japan to see. The gate does not really float, it only appears to at high tide. This island has a number of Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples. You take a cable car up the mountain to see a colony of wild monkeys.

2005-01-14T16:26:00.001-08:00

34a The Cable Car to Mt. Misen
This was the only sane way to get to the top although you can walk. The charge for the easy way is about $18 each person and there are two cable cars to take. Most people go to see the deer and the monkeys. Deer are sacred in Japan. At one time, you could be executed if you killed one. In Nara, the deer will bow to you if you raise your hand but not here or in other cities. No one really knows why.

2005-01-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

35. Mother and child
One of the main rules ... don't disturb the monkeys and don't look them directly in the eye. They fed these guys a few minutes after we arrived. The next cable car and perhaps more, would see no monkeys. The cost was $18 a ride so, I would be rather disappointed.

2005-01-14T16:25:00.001-08:00

36a Our friends from Fukuyama
From left to right, top .... Akie and his wife Mika and Eleanor. Mika and Akie are due to have their first baby in February. Akie lived in Vancouver for a few years while going to school. The three other girls are fiends of Akie and Mika. From top to bottom, Tamami, Yoko and Yuko. Aikie and Mika were kind enough to take us to Miyajima for the day. Miyajima is just outside Hiroshima.

2005-01-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

36. Mr. Non-Chalant
Don't touch me and don't ever look into my eyes.

2005-01-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

37. Shinkansen
This is one type of Japan's bullet trains, the Nozomi. We were traveling at 285 kph or 180 mph between Osaka and Fukuyama where Carolyn lives on this one. In Canadian terms, Toronto to Montreal in just over two hours. The Nozomi Shinkansen makes few stops, The Hitari Rail Star a few more and Kodama lots between sites but, they are all Shinkansen's capable of over 150mph. You can get anywhere in Japan either by the bullet or by other slower versions of local trains. The Japanese never refer to these as "Bullet Trains", they are Shinkansen.

2005-01-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

38. Hiroshima Castle
This castle was first build in 1589, named as a national treasure in 1931 and then destroyed by the atomic bomb. The castle was rebuilt as a museum in 1958. Sad.

2005-01-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

39. The Hiroshima Peace Park
In the distance is Gembaku Domu formerly the Industrial Promotion Hall. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was one of the few buildings that survived the blast. Mind you, no one survived that was in it. The bomb exploded above the city and killed 75,000 instantly. The death toll stands at 200,000 today. The peace flame will burn in the park until all nuclear bombs are destroyed.

2005-01-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

40. The Honourary Consul
In Hiroshima, we needed to swear an affidavit in front of the Canadian Consul. He spent about a half hour with us. The lady beside him helped is greatly to get all the correct paperwork. She speaks English quite well. This form just tells the Japanese bureaucrats that we are legally able to marry.

2005-01-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

41. A Closer Look at the Dome

2005-01-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

42. Eleanor and a Youngster.
Here is another young girl off to the shrine. If you take a picture of just about anyone, anywhere in Japan, they will show the peace symbol with their hands.

2005-01-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

43. Carolyn's School
Carolyn teaches English to students from Grade one to six. She sees all 600 of them during a week. When out at play, they wear different caps to signify different teams.

2005-01-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

44. Carolyn's Grade two Class
Carolyn speaks a little Japanese. All her conversations with her kids are English only. Here they learn directions. Carolyn is very animated in her teaching and very well liked by the staff, vice-principal and principal of the school which is about a twenty minute train ride from Fukuyama.

2005-01-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

45. No it's not the Flu.
On this particular day the grade two's had the task of serving lunch. There is a large kitchen in the school that is run by adults. Once the kids finish they go outside for twenty minutes or so and come back into the school about 1 pm. Then, every child cleans the school. No janitor's, everyone helps. What a lesson we could learn.

2005-01-14T16:14:00.001-08:00

46. What are these people laughing at?
This is wicket 3 reserved for foreigners and aliens. I wonder which we were? After they got our translations of birth certificates, marriage application, written entirely in Japanese, and the affidavit from Hiroshima, they said "OK". We assume this meant we were married. Since then, Carolyn has received the documentation from them and, it too, is in Japanese. For all we know it could say "Welcome to Japan and the Fukuyama City Hall."

2005-01-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

47. It's us!

2005-01-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

48. Kimono Day
As one of our surprises, Carolyn arranged for us to be dressed in traditional Kimonos for pictures. Carolyn is wearing one that was loaned to her by the daughter of her Vice-Principal. I was also dressed in a traditional way, but there were limited photos of me. Once we have the professional shots, I will put them on a separate web.

2005-01-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

49. Our wedding reception
Carolyn invited about 18 friends and co-workers to our wedding reception. This was in a traditional Japanese restaurant as you can see. All the beer, wine and food you can eat in two hours. No Sushi, just Sashimi which is really Sushi without the rice. It's an acquired taste. By the way, they have wasabi mustard like we do however, it's not at all hot. In general, the Japanese do not like spicy foods. After this we went to a Karaoke Bar. More beer. It's not like the ones we have here. You are actually in a private room with your friends.

2005-01-10T16:14:00.000-08:00

50. Our vows
Eleanor and I are exchanging rings and saying our vows to each other. A little tearful here.

2005-01-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

51. Wedding Cake
Wedding cake is not traditional at receptions as it is in North America. One of Carolyn's friends had this made as a gift for us at the reception. It is so North American that they included plastic cutlery. We ate with chopsticks throughout our trip. Nothing about weddings is really the same other than the Japanese do celebrate. For my understanding, all weddings are civil. Religious ceremonies do occur of course but, the actual marriages are licensed through a City Hall somewhere.

2005-01-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

52. Ready to go home
We were staying with Carolyn for a number of days. For our wedding night, her gift to us, was a night at the Newcastle Hotel. It was right across from the Fukuyama Castle and the rail station. This is one of the few times we saw anything Christmas as, the Japanese do not really celebrate it, only New Years. When we started it was Toronto to Minneapolis to Hawaii, then from Hawaii to Osaka. On the way back home it was Osaka to Detroit to Toronto. Going via Hawaii adds 2000 miles. One fabulous time. Who else can say they got married in Japan? Hope you liked the pictures.