Tag: #japan

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Japan 2024

Full bloom near my old house Temple
Very clean train
This was Being promoted
There was some shaking but nothing significant
A clear view of Mount Fuji from the hotel
Beautiful evening view from the room
One of my favorites
The only Cuban cigars we could find that week. Cubans are in short supply
My friend’s car.
Very boxxy
An Irish pub in downtown Wakayama
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japan – wakayama and…

Wakayama is kind of a quiet town with a decreasing population like many non-major cities in Japan but I have a close college friend who lives there and so I visit from time to time to enjoy the good food and the company. This time I just flew in from Bangkok for four days and then one day in Tokyo before flying back.

We smoke Cubans in his car on the way to dinner
My first quality Ramen in five years
These dolls are placed as a seasonal celebration, a shrine near Wakayama
The front of the shrine
The gate (Torii)
The business hotel where I stayed has a very uninteresting breakfast but it’s included
On Christmas day we had a nice tiramisu at a French style restaurant
In general the food was not too much and very tasty, Japanese – French style
Cute car. Only 600 cc. It’s a shame this company lied and cheated and had to shut down until they made certain acceptable corrections
A very nice lunch
A friend’s house, very traditional
Coming into Narita you can see some solar farms for the local residents
Friends at a countryside karaoke bar (snack) before a yakuza boss walked in
Representing Thailand, Japan and Borsalino land
It was a very clear day. Yes you can see Mount Fuji
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Akita area – nice people

Start of the “white trip” (not White Album)

Due to the salt air and sea waves washing up on the roads cars last only about 5 years. 

At most of the stations yesterday, due to the severe weather, almost none of the station masters checked tickets. 

Only 2 people were on the train from Fukaura to NishiNoshiro. 

No fishing in the winter so expect frozen fish everywhere. Due to the warming seas the formerly plentiful fish near the surface have gone deeper so fishing is tougher and more expensive. Overfishing near shore means longer trips for fishermen. 

There are many natural hot springs along this oceanside. 

Young people leave to work in the cities, reducing the population and make it tougher to economically sustain these rural areas and provide services to the aging population. 

Rice fields by the sea in winter. Is the rice salty?
Aomori to the west coast, along the coast to Akita and then down to Niigata
Almost whited out
And if wind and snow cancel the trains JR takes you by bus and taxi. White out so from Kawabe the train can’t run. We boarded a bus and are going by road. It was very efficient. Good thing we switched to bus. We can see the snowy scenery. The train windows were so fogged up it was showing signs of disappointment. 
My Akita hot springs room
Evening snack with Sapporo beer
Morning Coffee
Everyone loves old steam locomotives
An immigration mistake

Arrived at Ajigasswa but no transport from there on due to high seaside winds so JR hired a taxi for two customers to go as far as Fukaura. There I went to Sailing to eat before the train to NishiNoshiro. Everyone is so happy to see everyone. Lots of happy energy here.