Japan

I spent a few days in Japan on my 13-week Melbourne - Bangkok - Hong Kong - Taipei - Japan -
Trans Siberian  Railway - UK - Athens - Israel - Egypt - Western Europe - Singapore - Melbourne trip.

I flew from Taipei in Taiwan to Kyoto in Japan.

The Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-Ju Temple) in Kyoto.





Nijo Castle in Kyoto was built in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa Shoguns.
Parts of this building deliberately had squeaky floors so that peoplem particulary intruders, could be heard.
There were lots of Japanese school groups visiting these sites.
I was approached by some schoolgirls wishing to practise their English on me.










I travelled on the Bullet Train from Kyoto to Tokyo (3 hours).


Tokyo
After catching a suburban train to the Chiba Park Hotel, I went for a walk to the nearby Zojyoji Temple and the Toyko Tower.
I was pushed into the tower lift like being pushed into a Japanese train.

There was a sensation of swaying at the 250 metre high lookout.


The moat around the Imperial Palace on a wet, grey Tokyo day. Unfortunately it was not open on Mondays.


The Ginza shopping area in Tokyo.



I had a ride on the monorail to Hanenda Airport.





I caught up with the Sundowners tour group and our group of 11 were taken by bus from our hotel to Yokohama
 to board the Russian ship, Khabarovsk, for the 2 days sailing to the Russian port city of Nakhodka.