In both May 2004 and May 2007, I made combined business/pleasure trips to different areas of Japan, The 2004 trip featured visits to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Kanazawa. The 2007 trip was just to Tokyo. I studied some Japanese before the trips so I could converse with the locals in very basic fashion, and so I could read a few basic signs (in Kana; learning Kanji characters was beyond my scope).
Japan is a fascinating place with much scenery and history to recommend it. I could not stop being fascinated with the contrast of sheer density of population there, placed right up against rugged and sparsely populated mountainous areas.
Endless urban expanse of Tokyo visible from the hotel. Buildings extended to the far horizon of just about every direction I could look.
Myself at the meeting place where I gave a lecture.
Small temple in Tokyo that was tucked away on a busy street, not far from my hotel.
View of downtown Kyoto from the hotel where I stayed (Hotel Granvia). The hotel is located in an absolutely enormous, approximately 10-story train station and shopping arcade complex in which I managed to get lost once.
Enormous unusual-looking office building in Osaka.
Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto. This structure was reconstructed in 1955. It is a popular tourist attraction and is a National Special Historic Site. Kyoto is noted for its abundance of historic temples.
Absolutely huge train station and shopping arcade complex in Kyoto, in which the entrance to my hotel was also located.
Street scene in Kanazawa, Japan
Japanese road directional sign, with destinations written in both Japanese and English.
Ruins from World War II atomic bomb, preserved as a memorial in Hiroshima.
Japan is a fascinating place with much scenery and history to recommend it. I could not stop being fascinated with the contrast of sheer density of population there, placed right up against rugged and sparsely populated mountainous areas.
Endless urban expanse of Tokyo visible from the hotel. Buildings extended to the far horizon of just about every direction I could look.
Myself at the meeting place where I gave a lecture.
Small temple in Tokyo that was tucked away on a busy street, not far from my hotel.
View of downtown Kyoto from the hotel where I stayed (Hotel Granvia). The hotel is located in an absolutely enormous, approximately 10-story train station and shopping arcade complex in which I managed to get lost once.
Enormous unusual-looking office building in Osaka.
Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto. This structure was reconstructed in 1955. It is a popular tourist attraction and is a National Special Historic Site. Kyoto is noted for its abundance of historic temples.
Absolutely huge train station and shopping arcade complex in Kyoto, in which the entrance to my hotel was also located.
Street scene in Kanazawa, Japan
Japanese road directional sign, with destinations written in both Japanese and English.
Ruins from World War II atomic bomb, preserved as a memorial in Hiroshima.
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