Q: Favorite part of the trip?
A: The people I met and the trains. The trains are spotless, run on time, plush seats, great service, comfortable. Tantalizing glimpses of countryside, open windows and wildlife. The subways are terrific for people watching. Also spotless and also right on time.
Q: Least favorite part of the trip?
A: The stairs - miles and miles of stairs. At first I regarded them as a good workout and then came to dread them. They are, however, partly responsible for the trim figures of the Japanese.
Q: What was your favorite place?
A: For cities, Hiroshima. Well laid out, criss-crossed by rivers and bays, elegant buildings, more laid back than Tokyo. For all-time favorite, Gesshoji in Matsue, sitting with the ancient tortoise in the misty rain.
Q: What was your favorite getting lost experience?
A: Kamakura, when I asked two high school boys where the station was. It was the best example of the Japanese spirit of generosity I encountered and the boys were just endearing in their worry that this old lady would lose her way.
Q: What was your favorite shopping experience?
A: There were three actually. In Kyoto I found a little shop run by a very old lady. The shop smelled of cat pee. For some reason though, the little ceramic figures were too cute to pass up and she seemed so grateful for the business. At the Akiyoshi caves I fell in love with all the stone carvings. And in Shinjuku, the little surprise flea market with the cute pop singer.
Q: What was your favorite food?
A: Easily the melon pan which is a round kind of pastry with a melon paste filling. Very light taste and yet quite addicting. Second favorite was the vegetarian sushi when I could find it.
Q: What was your favorite accidental find?
A: Taiko drummers and the Love Festival all in one day.
Q: Was this the trip you dreamed about?
A: No, it wasn't and it so many ways, it was better. Very affirming. And just plain fun.
Q: Are all your pictures up yet?
A: No. Need to photoshop a bunch so they can be seen. I'm working on it -- slowly.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
My last adventure
My last day in Tokyo and the sky was overcast, the air muggier than usual. Decisions, decisions about how to pack. I wanted to keep the carry-on I started with and add a backpack and worried I'd be made to check a bag (Singapore Air has a strict reputation). It was fairly easy to throw all the souvenirs and valuables into one bag and all the (replaceable) clothes in another. Both bags were way heavier than the 15 pound limit the airline allows.
Finished breakfast, dressing and a quick Skype call home. 10 a.m. Plane leaves at 7 p.m. Could go out for a walk or a quick subway ride to exotic locations OR could get on the limo bus, head to the airport and wait. Given the muggy weather, I opted (comfort creature that I am) for the air-conditioning of a swank hotel, the limo bus, and the airport.
Grabbed a taxi - the doors open automatically - and spent a total of 4 minutes in the cab before being deposited in front of the kind of place I never stay. A bell-hop immediately grabs my bags. Oh, I demur. Limo bus - not hotel guest. He reluctantly surrenders my bags. An hour wait for the bus in a luscious lobby watching the other bell hops. They stand like statues and then go through a rotation ceremony of bowing. The entire time their eyes are scanning the lobby and outside for any guest who might have luggage or need to know which desk is open for them. They are like a crack secret service team - alert and at the ready.
The bus arrives exactly on time. Guests are greeted, luggage stowed, tickets checked and off we go toward the airport. The scenery passing the window makes me wistful, sad to leave and yet ready to go home. We pass places I now recognize from my treks about town rather than just from movies. I do an inward wave to the giant Ferris wheel I had so wanted to ride, but was shut down because of the Fukishima mess. It's okay, I tell myself. I can always come back, knowing I don't retrace steps.
Narita airport - spotless, uncrowded, comfortable. And most importantly, good rates on my remaining yen.
An immense glass sculpture, the last photo op. And a long wait before the Singapore Air counter opens. I find a comfy seat and just stare into the middle distance. I notice there are pairs of policemen going about the airport, randomly asking people for their passports - Westerners are preferred. I don't give it much thought because I'm an old lady - who would think I'm a terrorist? I'm deep in thought and half asleep when I see a shadow approaching which materializes into 2 pairs of legs. Uniformed legs. I look up to see police with hand outstretched. They want my passport. I smile, pull it out. They ask if I'm with someone a couple of seats away. No, I'm alone. They jot down things on a clipboard, scrutinize each page of my passport. Talk to each other in hushed tones. Hand the passport back and leave with a bow and thank you. OK, I think, don't know what that was about, but I've got nothing to worry about anyway.
Still a couple of hours to go before Singapore Air opens and I want a closer seat so I can be at the head of the line. Good move. I met two brothers L & S, who were open and chatty and full of tales to tell. L, the younger brother, has been teaching English in Korea and is on his way home for a summer break. His brother met him in Japan for a quick tour and visit with friends. It was pleasant - no exciting - to listen to the plans of a young person just starting out in his work life. Not quite knowing what he wants to do, but grabbing at opportunities with enthusiasm and no fear at all. We're happily chatting away. A shadow materializes into uniformed legs. An outstretched hand. Passport please. OK. This is the second time...is there something wrong? So sorry, passport please. Are you with them (nodding toward the brothers). Passport inspected, perused, vetted. Notes taken. Thank you, bow. On to the brothers. I know the trains were on high alert about a week into my visit, so I guess the airport would be too.
Finally the counter opens, I check in, go through security (they don't make you take off your shoes) and go to the gate to...wait.
Flight was packed, stuffy and turbulent. Food was good. Sat next to an ambassador from Indonesia who promptly fell asleep and only woke long enough for meals and toilet breaks.
Shuttle home took forever and then home. Home to dogs and M and sleep.
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Journey ended.
Finished breakfast, dressing and a quick Skype call home. 10 a.m. Plane leaves at 7 p.m. Could go out for a walk or a quick subway ride to exotic locations OR could get on the limo bus, head to the airport and wait. Given the muggy weather, I opted (comfort creature that I am) for the air-conditioning of a swank hotel, the limo bus, and the airport.
Grabbed a taxi - the doors open automatically - and spent a total of 4 minutes in the cab before being deposited in front of the kind of place I never stay. A bell-hop immediately grabs my bags. Oh, I demur. Limo bus - not hotel guest. He reluctantly surrenders my bags. An hour wait for the bus in a luscious lobby watching the other bell hops. They stand like statues and then go through a rotation ceremony of bowing. The entire time their eyes are scanning the lobby and outside for any guest who might have luggage or need to know which desk is open for them. They are like a crack secret service team - alert and at the ready.
The bus arrives exactly on time. Guests are greeted, luggage stowed, tickets checked and off we go toward the airport. The scenery passing the window makes me wistful, sad to leave and yet ready to go home. We pass places I now recognize from my treks about town rather than just from movies. I do an inward wave to the giant Ferris wheel I had so wanted to ride, but was shut down because of the Fukishima mess. It's okay, I tell myself. I can always come back, knowing I don't retrace steps.
Narita airport - spotless, uncrowded, comfortable. And most importantly, good rates on my remaining yen.
An immense glass sculpture, the last photo op. And a long wait before the Singapore Air counter opens. I find a comfy seat and just stare into the middle distance. I notice there are pairs of policemen going about the airport, randomly asking people for their passports - Westerners are preferred. I don't give it much thought because I'm an old lady - who would think I'm a terrorist? I'm deep in thought and half asleep when I see a shadow approaching which materializes into 2 pairs of legs. Uniformed legs. I look up to see police with hand outstretched. They want my passport. I smile, pull it out. They ask if I'm with someone a couple of seats away. No, I'm alone. They jot down things on a clipboard, scrutinize each page of my passport. Talk to each other in hushed tones. Hand the passport back and leave with a bow and thank you. OK, I think, don't know what that was about, but I've got nothing to worry about anyway.
Still a couple of hours to go before Singapore Air opens and I want a closer seat so I can be at the head of the line. Good move. I met two brothers L & S, who were open and chatty and full of tales to tell. L, the younger brother, has been teaching English in Korea and is on his way home for a summer break. His brother met him in Japan for a quick tour and visit with friends. It was pleasant - no exciting - to listen to the plans of a young person just starting out in his work life. Not quite knowing what he wants to do, but grabbing at opportunities with enthusiasm and no fear at all. We're happily chatting away. A shadow materializes into uniformed legs. An outstretched hand. Passport please. OK. This is the second time...is there something wrong? So sorry, passport please. Are you with them (nodding toward the brothers). Passport inspected, perused, vetted. Notes taken. Thank you, bow. On to the brothers. I know the trains were on high alert about a week into my visit, so I guess the airport would be too.
Finally the counter opens, I check in, go through security (they don't make you take off your shoes) and go to the gate to...wait.
Flight was packed, stuffy and turbulent. Food was good. Sat next to an ambassador from Indonesia who promptly fell asleep and only woke long enough for meals and toilet breaks.
Shuttle home took forever and then home. Home to dogs and M and sleep.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Last days in Japan
As usual, I spend the majority of my last days wandering around, going down interesting alleyways, finding wonderful little surprises that delight the eye.
I got up early as promised on Sunday to go to the famous Tokyo Flea market (well one of them anyway). I found the place fairly easily only to discover it was a no show. Don't know why - so I had to make a decision about what to do.
In an unusual move, I decided to take the last remaining tram in Tokyo on its loop. It takes you through neighborhoods that are more like small towns than the big concrete mass which is Tokyo. It's called the Arwakawa Tram and mostly I decided to do it because of an anime called Arwakawa Under the Bridge. The tram is old and funky and is the best place on a Sunday to people watch - mostly families with the cutest babies imaginable going for outings. The tramway is lined with a profusion of roses and hollyhocks. At the end of the line there was this intimate little shopping area that felt like an old-time town. For some reason, many of the light poles were decked out with a sprig of flowers. Very festive.
I spent the afternoon exploring Ikebukuro some more and discovered Tokyu Hands, a store that must have every gadget and I-wanna-have-it item you need from cookware to DIY stuff. I was there to check out every floor but mostly to think about purchasing wheeled luggage after hauling around my bag through various train stations. That, and everyone in Japan has rolling luggage of one size or another and I was getting jealous. Well I'm convinced that if I take another trip of any length, spinner wheels are a must. In the meantime, I only have to schlep through the airport to get home and I'm done.
Today was more exploring and I discovered the most amazing thing. I happened upon a building - a school - and said to myself, that looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright design. Lo and behold, there was a sign next to it and yes, it is a FLW, built in the 1920s. Do I know my architecture or what?
More wonderful wall art in another lucky find, and finally on to my objective which is a huge anime & manga emporium. It also had an entire section devoted to cos-play costumes. Of course, EVERYTHING is in Japanese so of zero use to me, but it was fun to browse.
As the day was only getting hotter and muggier, I decided to take in a movie. I couldn't believe the ticket was over $20.00!!! That was without popcorn. When I got to the floor for the movie, the floor manager was very concerned and made me understand the movie was only in Japanese - no sub-titles. I said I understood. Usually I can get a handle on what is going on, but I confess, the finer points totally escaped me. It was nice to sit in air-conditioning for a couple of hours anyway.
I will say this: theater patrons are totally silent in the movies, as they are in libraries (yes, I dropped into a couple, after school, just to check) and you don't hear loud cell phone conversations on trains or anywhere else for that matter.
And now it's time to pack and prepare to leave. So this blog is nearly at an end. I will be posting some more photos as I get some photoshopped, and probably do a better job of labeling them. I'll also be posting some more observations, but the blog ends with the trip and the trip is all but over.
It's been fun.
I got up early as promised on Sunday to go to the famous Tokyo Flea market (well one of them anyway). I found the place fairly easily only to discover it was a no show. Don't know why - so I had to make a decision about what to do.
In an unusual move, I decided to take the last remaining tram in Tokyo on its loop. It takes you through neighborhoods that are more like small towns than the big concrete mass which is Tokyo. It's called the Arwakawa Tram and mostly I decided to do it because of an anime called Arwakawa Under the Bridge. The tram is old and funky and is the best place on a Sunday to people watch - mostly families with the cutest babies imaginable going for outings. The tramway is lined with a profusion of roses and hollyhocks. At the end of the line there was this intimate little shopping area that felt like an old-time town. For some reason, many of the light poles were decked out with a sprig of flowers. Very festive.
I spent the afternoon exploring Ikebukuro some more and discovered Tokyu Hands, a store that must have every gadget and I-wanna-have-it item you need from cookware to DIY stuff. I was there to check out every floor but mostly to think about purchasing wheeled luggage after hauling around my bag through various train stations. That, and everyone in Japan has rolling luggage of one size or another and I was getting jealous. Well I'm convinced that if I take another trip of any length, spinner wheels are a must. In the meantime, I only have to schlep through the airport to get home and I'm done.
Today was more exploring and I discovered the most amazing thing. I happened upon a building - a school - and said to myself, that looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright design. Lo and behold, there was a sign next to it and yes, it is a FLW, built in the 1920s. Do I know my architecture or what?
More wonderful wall art in another lucky find, and finally on to my objective which is a huge anime & manga emporium. It also had an entire section devoted to cos-play costumes. Of course, EVERYTHING is in Japanese so of zero use to me, but it was fun to browse.
As the day was only getting hotter and muggier, I decided to take in a movie. I couldn't believe the ticket was over $20.00!!! That was without popcorn. When I got to the floor for the movie, the floor manager was very concerned and made me understand the movie was only in Japanese - no sub-titles. I said I understood. Usually I can get a handle on what is going on, but I confess, the finer points totally escaped me. It was nice to sit in air-conditioning for a couple of hours anyway.
I will say this: theater patrons are totally silent in the movies, as they are in libraries (yes, I dropped into a couple, after school, just to check) and you don't hear loud cell phone conversations on trains or anywhere else for that matter.
And now it's time to pack and prepare to leave. So this blog is nearly at an end. I will be posting some more photos as I get some photoshopped, and probably do a better job of labeling them. I'll also be posting some more observations, but the blog ends with the trip and the trip is all but over.
Heading back to Tokyo
Leaving Hiroshima was hard to do. I really loved the city and wanted to spend more time getting to know it intimately. If I were going to live in Japan, it would be in Hiroshima. Big enough to have the advantages of a real city, small enough to get around easily. But all good things come to an end sometime and my time was up.
Again with trains. From Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka (that's Osaka with an added Shin). From there to Kyoto, where I got off the train, stowed my bag in a handy coin locker and re-visited a place I wanted to explore a bit more.
Then a hasty trip back to the station - dodging huge groups of school kids - and on the Shinkansen to Tokyo where I checked into my new digs in Ikebukuro. In one of my posts, the one with the 3 owls promoting a reading campaign (by the way - on the way to Takayama, I saw 4 huge boulders on a road painted to be owls), I mentioned Ikebukuro and frankly thought it was a bit dull. Well -- you just need to be there on a Saturday night to have an entirely different opinion. I couldn't believe all the people on the streets. Cute couples everywhere obviously going on dates. Groups of totally dressed up young guys hanging out in front of the station. I can only presume they were hoping to meet someone or had appointments to meet with someone. Or were just hanging out. The energy of the place really rocked.
The next day was going to be an early one, so I did the sensible thing instead of going out again after dinner.
Can you tell the trip is winding down?
Again with trains. From Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka (that's Osaka with an added Shin). From there to Kyoto, where I got off the train, stowed my bag in a handy coin locker and re-visited a place I wanted to explore a bit more.
Then a hasty trip back to the station - dodging huge groups of school kids - and on the Shinkansen to Tokyo where I checked into my new digs in Ikebukuro. In one of my posts, the one with the 3 owls promoting a reading campaign (by the way - on the way to Takayama, I saw 4 huge boulders on a road painted to be owls), I mentioned Ikebukuro and frankly thought it was a bit dull. Well -- you just need to be there on a Saturday night to have an entirely different opinion. I couldn't believe all the people on the streets. Cute couples everywhere obviously going on dates. Groups of totally dressed up young guys hanging out in front of the station. I can only presume they were hoping to meet someone or had appointments to meet with someone. Or were just hanging out. The energy of the place really rocked.
The next day was going to be an early one, so I did the sensible thing instead of going out again after dinner.
Can you tell the trip is winding down?
A word about the boys in the photo. They are on a game show and apparently in a lot of ads and some dramas (I think). They are so adorable, I had to show them to you.
Takayama & trains
I'm totally into trains now. They are clean, restful places with air-conditioning, plush seats, great service, and they rock you to sleep after a long day of sightseeing. In the case of the trip to Takayama, 10 hours on trains didn't diminish that notion one bit.
The majority of my time in Japan has been spent walking hours on end every day. There is so much to see and do, it's hard not to get out there and keep going. In my case it's because I get lost so frequently, I end up walking miles out of my way just to get to a point I can recognize as some place I need to be. So taking a long train ride was a refreshing change from pounding the pavement in hot cities.
Five hours to Takayama so I could have 2-1/2 there and then 5 hours back. Needless to say, the journey there and back was part of the plan. Seeing the countryside from the train is certainly one way to cover lots of ground without having to walk or drive. And the scenery was breathtaking once we got past the concrete jungles. There is a long river the train follows. It has massive boulders and what look like lava flows - only in limestone. I tried to capture some with the camera, but a fast-moving train doesn't give you much time to set up shots.
Upon arriving in Takayama, I had to make a decision. Twenty minute bus ride to the open air village or spend my time walking around town in the preserved Edo period section. I chose town as I had already seen rustic houses and other buildings in Osaka. And it was a good choice. Not only did the preserved section of town have a festive feeling, it had great things to admire. In fact, the town itself is kind of funky and fun. It seems the Japanese can't get enough of their own past too. Like Americans and the wild west.
Time to hop the train again. I've discovered that the stations frequently make great museums for art. Just the right amount to prevent fatigue, you can take all the pictures you want, and it helps pass the time waiting for the next leg in your journey.
I always sight cranes, egrets, hawks and ducks in the rice fields, but this time there was an added plus to the sightings. How many can say they have seen a monkey sitting atop a house, happily taking in the view?
The majority of my time in Japan has been spent walking hours on end every day. There is so much to see and do, it's hard not to get out there and keep going. In my case it's because I get lost so frequently, I end up walking miles out of my way just to get to a point I can recognize as some place I need to be. So taking a long train ride was a refreshing change from pounding the pavement in hot cities.
Five hours to Takayama so I could have 2-1/2 there and then 5 hours back. Needless to say, the journey there and back was part of the plan. Seeing the countryside from the train is certainly one way to cover lots of ground without having to walk or drive. And the scenery was breathtaking once we got past the concrete jungles. There is a long river the train follows. It has massive boulders and what look like lava flows - only in limestone. I tried to capture some with the camera, but a fast-moving train doesn't give you much time to set up shots.
Upon arriving in Takayama, I had to make a decision. Twenty minute bus ride to the open air village or spend my time walking around town in the preserved Edo period section. I chose town as I had already seen rustic houses and other buildings in Osaka. And it was a good choice. Not only did the preserved section of town have a festive feeling, it had great things to admire. In fact, the town itself is kind of funky and fun. It seems the Japanese can't get enough of their own past too. Like Americans and the wild west.
Time to hop the train again. I've discovered that the stations frequently make great museums for art. Just the right amount to prevent fatigue, you can take all the pictures you want, and it helps pass the time waiting for the next leg in your journey.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Akiyoshi caves
I'm always grateful when the alternative turns out to be as fun as what I had originally planned. The Akiyoshi caves and the moor they sit under were a happy happy accident,
The entrance to the largest limestone caves in Asia, or Japan, depending on whom you believe, has an impressive waterfall which provides the rushing water of the river flowing from it. As you enter the caves proper, the temperature drops delightfully. Various signs name various formations. Some of the names make sense, like the Dragon's Lair (and believe me, a dragon is lurking in there somewhere); others were a bit of a stretch. Though great arc lights were placed to highlight the more spectacular formations, the camera was next to useless to capture the sheer majesty of the place. I'm hoping a judicious application of photoshop will help.
After you leave the caves, you can climb an extremely steep hill to come upon what looks like a Scottish moor, complete with thistles. Or, you can take the elevator up, which I did, having learned my lesson on Miyajima.
Another word about school groups. They are everywhere. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if students in Japan are ever in a classroom. They all seem to be taking school trips and show up everywhere! The moor was thick with students having group photos, running all over and asking me to take their pictures (always happy to oblige).
The bus back to civilization was about to leave, so I made my way back through the caves and to the bus
station, only to see it disappear down the highway. Rather than risk missing the very last bus of the day, I stayed put in the station. You must understand that you can set your watch by train and bus schedules. They leave on the dot. It's better to be early and wait than to miss the scheduled departure. An hour later I was happily perched in the front seat for the scenic countryside ride to the train station.
Himeji Castle in the Clouds - or at least under wraps
One morning, in a land far away, a traveler woke up and decided to make her way to a distant town. Once she got to the train station, she realized that the distant town was far too distant considering she had overslept, so she chose a more sensible destination - Himeji - which by bullet rain is a mere hour from Hiroshima. The Shinkansen are so fast and efficient, you barely get settled and you're there.
You know Himeji Castle even if you never knew the name. If you've ever seen a samurai movie, or the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, you've seen Himeji Castle. It is picture postcard perfect seated as it is on the top of a fortified hill.
And so I walked down the broad boulevard toward the gardens and castle, relishing the fact that the predicted rain failed to show, and the sun was peeking through the clouds. At the end of the boulevard, rising proudly to the sky was the castle - no wait - the image of the castle on a large shroud which covered the main tower. What???!!! The brochure said nothing about a painted backdrop.
Well, as with most of the places I've visited, the main tower is undergoing major renovation and restoration. Time and earthquakes have left unkind marks on the structure, and it is undergoing a 5 year long face lift. You can imagine my dismay!
By now trudging along in anticipation of pretty much nothing, I was pleasantly surprised by what I did find. First of all the grounds are amazing all by themselves, and there is an absolutely phenomenal garden that can take 2 hours or longer to enjoy. The Himeji tourism bureau was totally on the ball and realized people would want to see what they came to see, so they had constructed an elevator to take people up inside the wrappings to see the restoration in progress, which allowed aerial views of the castle grounds and the city beyond. They also had tours of various floors of the castle itself with - you guessed it, very steep high steps that you had to take in your stocking feet. I happened to be put in the very old ladies group, one of whom had a similar uneven leg situation. So I would climb up, and then hold my arm out just in case one of the ladies needed support. We did that the whole way up and the whole way down. One of the women came over to me and handed me a charm. "Present for you", she said..."I made it myself." It was a knotted butterfly charm, which, like the pine cone from the young school girl, I will especially treasure.
Here's what the fuss is about with all the old buildings. The humid climate, earthquakes, and hundreds of years of freeze and thaw are taking their toll.
After wandering around the grounds at the end of the structured tour, I headed to the gardens and tea house. I was stunned with the beauty and peacefulness of the area. Every single detail was carefully planned and managed to look natural, and none of it was. Even the colors of the plants were stage-managed for optimum effect. And yet, at no point did it feel contrived or artificial. The people who planned the garden are geniuses. Their vision, not only when the garden was first new, but also understanding what it would look like when everything had mellowed and matured, was pitch perfect. If my stomach hadn't started seriously letting me know it was way past time to eat, I probably would be there still, talking to the koi in the various ponds.
And thus, the day ended. Back to Hiroshima to plan another day.
You know Himeji Castle even if you never knew the name. If you've ever seen a samurai movie, or the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, you've seen Himeji Castle. It is picture postcard perfect seated as it is on the top of a fortified hill.
And so I walked down the broad boulevard toward the gardens and castle, relishing the fact that the predicted rain failed to show, and the sun was peeking through the clouds. At the end of the boulevard, rising proudly to the sky was the castle - no wait - the image of the castle on a large shroud which covered the main tower. What???!!! The brochure said nothing about a painted backdrop.
Well, as with most of the places I've visited, the main tower is undergoing major renovation and restoration. Time and earthquakes have left unkind marks on the structure, and it is undergoing a 5 year long face lift. You can imagine my dismay!
By now trudging along in anticipation of pretty much nothing, I was pleasantly surprised by what I did find. First of all the grounds are amazing all by themselves, and there is an absolutely phenomenal garden that can take 2 hours or longer to enjoy. The Himeji tourism bureau was totally on the ball and realized people would want to see what they came to see, so they had constructed an elevator to take people up inside the wrappings to see the restoration in progress, which allowed aerial views of the castle grounds and the city beyond. They also had tours of various floors of the castle itself with - you guessed it, very steep high steps that you had to take in your stocking feet. I happened to be put in the very old ladies group, one of whom had a similar uneven leg situation. So I would climb up, and then hold my arm out just in case one of the ladies needed support. We did that the whole way up and the whole way down. One of the women came over to me and handed me a charm. "Present for you", she said..."I made it myself." It was a knotted butterfly charm, which, like the pine cone from the young school girl, I will especially treasure.
And thus, the day ended. Back to Hiroshima to plan another day.
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