Arrived in Japan!

I Arrived on Tuesday May 17th around 8PM. I ran around town on the 18th like an excited kid on Christmas Eve and then the travelling caught up with me and I slept like a bear cub in winter. I have a little catching up to do with the blog so here it goes...

This is a view of Kobe from up on the hill. I love a good birds eye view.

Ahhh... the mid 90`s Nissan Skyline GT-R. Anyone remember Grand Turismo?

This is Sannomiya; the main shopping area of Kobe. SOGO department store first opened here in 1933 and everything else followed.

What an awesome lunch! Cha-soba. A cold buckwheat noodle made with matcha, a green tea powder.

This is Ninomiya Shrine. A Shinto shrine in Kobe.

Daimaru department store in Kobe. I will spend an entire day photographing a department store in Osaka. They sell everything from custom made suits to sushi.

This is the Ikuta Shrine in Kobe. This is one of my favorite places to visit in Japan. It was founded in the 3rd Century AD. My wife an I got married here almost five years ago. It is a very peaceful place to sit and relax.

The neighbor went fishing near Awaji Island today. He brought back aji (horse mackerel). My mother in law simply roasted it and dinner was served.

Roasted aji.

This beer is pretty popular in Japan from what I can see. Zero calories, zero sugar, and zero alcohol. It is made from a malt wort, but never brewed. I would describe it like a beer tea.

This is a yamabuki flower(kerria japonica) that was growing wild on Rokko Mountain. Yamabuki translates to mountain spray, but since it is in the rose family it is usually called a yellow rose in English.

This is another flower we found growing wild on Rokko Moutain. In Japanese it is called tsubaki which is camellia in English. I have seen these flowers before in the US, but never growing wild.

This Buddhist temple is on Mt. Maya. This property is said to have been developed during the 8th Century. Again, this is a very peaceful place with the aroma of sandlewood incense everywhere.

This looks like a late 80`s Suzuki Land Venture, in mint condition!!!If I found one of these in Texas I would buy it immediately.

I was so excited I uploaded this picture twice.

WTB: Late 80`s Land Venture...

Soba restaurant in Sannomiya, Kobe.

I had two types of soba with inarizushi.

This is just a small part of what I have seen so far. We will be going to Osaka to see friends tomorrow. I am overwhelmed by the selection of shoes and watches(Seiko/G-Shock) that I have found. Thanks for reading. I look forward to sharing more of western Japan with you. Mattane!