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