No curve was too sharp for them and their bicycle. No puddle was deep enough to stop them. -- Friends by Helme Hein

18 May, 2011

Brunch over Shinjuku

Another brunch, with the same hooligans. This time, on a sunny Mother's Day on the top floor of a skyscraper in Shinjuku.
The Dutch creperie is definitely worth another visit: crepes with reblochon, potatoes, bacon and greens. yum.

It was a scorcher.

No stop in Shinjuku is complete without a visit to Krispy Kreme. Woody's first post-womb trip! Look at that proud papa showing his son the wonders of the world.

Meiji Shrine Wedding and Festival

A wedding procession at Meiji Shrine during Golden Week

Buddhist priests and officiants

wedding attendees

There was also a Buddhist festival going on at the same time. This is an ornate drum that sounded every so often for the dancers below.

Brunch in the Sun

A few photos from brunch on our porch with Craig and Charity and Matt.


An Easter treat for James. Carried across the Pacific as gently as I carried Woody.

10 May, 2011

A quiet trip to Kamakura

On the Sunday after the earthquake, we thought things were slowly returning to normal in Tokyo, with trains resuming service and food easily accessible. We took a trip to Kamakura to enjoy the sunny spring day and the lack of crowds. This was before we knew of the severity of the nuclear disaster and that plumes of radiation would hit Tokyo 24 hours later.
Woody rubbed the tummy of Hotei, the god of happiness.

And was oggled by many a Japanese grandmother. He's a hit with the over 70 crowd. Without fail, every Japanese person who meets Woody comments on his nose: "Hana no takai desu! Kawaii!" He has a tall nose compared to his Japanese counterparts.

A nice nursing break on the grounds of a shrine in the hills.

Daibutsu, or Big Buddha. In a cruel coincidence, the shelter that once held Big Buddha was washed away by a tsunami over a thousand years ago.

And the sea. It seemed so calm and welcoming, just days after reclaiming what once belonged to it just 150 miles away.

04 May, 2011

Post Earthquake Tokyo

I know it's 2 months after the fact, but I find these pictures a fascinating record of what Tokyo was like after the earthquake.
This is Takeshita Street in Harajuku on any given day.

Here is Takeshita Street 5 days after the earthquake.

The shelves of the 7-11 near our house were empty for days following the earthquake.

No fresh food on the shelves and definitely no bottled water.