I experienced some of the busiest intersections in the world... Shibuya crossing in Tokyo.
In Tokyo I also visited a temple, which was quite a retreat in the hustle and bustle of the city. This one was near the Harajuku shopping and cospay area.
These are a couple of pictures of a neighborhood in Tokyo near where my friend and I stayed. A lot of the buildings were built using tile similar to the blue building.
Hikone was smaller and more rural than Tokyo and considerably more open, with a mix of traditional housing and modern housing. One of the great aspects of Japan is the interaction of old and new architecture and culture.
I ran into this sign while I was lost in Hikone, and loved the use of English.
While lost I also experienced the willingness of the Japanese to help foreigners. After running around following an ill proportioned and mislabeled map I finally stopped at a convenience store to ask for directions, and this became my first experience with the language barrier. I spent about 15 minutes with three of the employees all trying to help me who were unable to understand where I was trying to get to. I knew they were trying to send me somewhere I did not want to go but I could not communicate where I did want to go. In the end one of them let me borrow her cell phone to call my friend to pick me up.
Oh and the importance of learning the language!
This is the Hikone Mascot and just pure Japanese cuteness!
My one night in Kyoto. Saw nothing and went nowhere, but I did have a great time eating American food in an Irish pub in Japan for Thanksgiving.
