Winter visit to Kamakura and Yokohama

Last week was the family visit to Japan! I was very very proud of Mom for finally having a passport. The first weekend they were here we visited Kamakura, Yokohama and toured the USS George Washington. I have posted on Kamakura before, so I will only add a few pictures.

Kamakura was different this time than last in that it is now winter and all of the gorgeous and brilliant fall leaves have long since disappeared from the trees. Now, the cherry blossoms are beginning to appear! Mom enjoyed the place immensely, feeling the very peaceful aura the temple grounds exude. Diana found the graveyard and spent a good amount of time wandering around among the tombstones. These are generally stunning polished granite shrines that put to shame modern headstones. We drank maccha (green tea) at the top of the hill where a huge bell hangs ready to ring. There were views of the valley and it was lovely!

We took the Enoshima Line train to Hase to see the Great Buddha. He is a super cool bronze statue that was cast in 1252 AD. He's gorgeous and I always love visiting him.

Then we headed back to Yokohama where everyone was staying. We walked to Landmark Tower and ate dinner in the converted dry dock next to it. This is seriously the coolest place! Its an old tiered dry dock reminiscent of the ball courts of ancient Mayans. Inside all of the old tunnels and pump rooms are now restaurants and bars. The dock itself is lit with blue light. I love it. The photo is a little blurry.

Across the street is a very well kept tall ship used for training. The water in the dock was absolutely still and made for a perfect photo op! The cool lit up ferris wheel in the background is one of the largest in the world and holds 480 people! Amazing! The lights change color and pattern on a pretty log cycle. Yokohama is a very nice, very cool place. Definitely worth a visit.

Update and Tsukiji/Spa

So I was informed this morning that I've gotten lax and forgotten completely to post on my blog this whole month! Part of that is attributable to the fact that my hard drive gave up on life and I am waiting for a new one from HP. *crosses fingers* Secondly, I've just been busy with Mom, Wayne, Diana, and Shelley coming to visit. Lastly, I am just a bum and you'll have to forgive my laziness. :P

Updates... I think I will separate this out to a few posts. I visited with a friend of a friend, Mayumi, who took my to Tsukiji where they have a fish market, but it was already closed for the day so we just had amazing sushi instead. Mine was expensive, but I had 10 different types all served on a leaf! We saw tuna heads for purchase. Its really a great deal! Only 500 yen (~$5) for half a tuna head! Not for me. Then we went to Ginza to an art museum where we saw gorgeous lacquer paintings.

Finally, we went to Tokyo something-or-other huge mall where there is an enormous two-story spa called LaQua. So, I spent a day bathing in an onsen with a ton of naked Asian ladies. (no photos, sorry Aaron.) It was very relaxing and had all sorts of cool showers. The mall covered what seemed to be a triangular city block. It was surrounded by roller coasters and rides. (Sweet ferris wheel doesn't have spokes!) The roller coaster had huge drops and wove into the building! Very cool! When we left the spa, it was dark and all of the winter (not Christmas) lights were aglow.

We tried on funny glasses too. :)

Tomorrow I'll add more, promise. I now have to go to work early instead of mid-afternoon. Blah.