TOKYO by CabDeeDee writes: "I am very fortunate that my job allowed me to travel around the world, seeing - of all places I thought I was not interested in seeing - Japan. While my visit was too short and personal time far too limited, I came home with a lasting impression of this beautiful nation and a longing to someday return with Brenda."
Brenda writes: "Okay. I'm packed." |
"DeeDee writes: "During the time I was there, I managed to:
"I love the movie Lost in Translation because, except for the whole creepy Scarlett Johannson/Bill Murray thing, Sofia Coppola got it so dead-on for the business traveler, as I was: The inability to ever sleep regardless of the number of Johnny Walker Blacks, the frequently stubbed toes on inordinately heavy furniture, and the karaoke and the late nights -- these small details are will always remind me of my business travel in Japan."
"Getting home was a horror story, best saved for some other time."
- Eat sushi with my host in a very tiny real sushi place with only five seats somewhere near Yokohama (maybe)
- Travel to Kyoto for an overnight on the bullet train, and go to a teahouse and Japanese cultural presentation
- Visit Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji (aka The Temple of the Golden Pavilion; aka Rokuon-ji, aka "the Deer Garden Temple"). It is a Zen Buddhist temple, and it's said that if you ring the entrance gong correctly you will be granted a trip back to Japan. I am such a sucker for this stuff --- I ALWAYS want to go back!"
"I love the movie Lost in Translation because, except for the whole creepy Scarlett Johannson/Bill Murray thing, Sofia Coppola got it so dead-on for the business traveler, as I was: The inability to ever sleep regardless of the number of Johnny Walker Blacks, the frequently stubbed toes on inordinately heavy furniture, and the karaoke and the late nights -- these small details are will always remind me of my business travel in Japan."
"Getting home was a horror story, best saved for some other time."
This dwarf pine at Kinkaku-ji, planted 600 yrs ago by Buddhist monks is considered a cherished treasure. According to my guide, it is trained into the shape of a boat to rescue souls in case of tsunami. My visit to Japan occurred in January 2010, just 14 months prior to the tsunami which caused the horrific disaster at Fukushima.