First week in Japan

So, here are the first few pictures from Japan. I have been posting most of my pictures to Facebook, but I think that I will only post of few there and put most here. There is no point in posting the same pictures multiple times...

So, I had not problem flying into Narita. I was really busy trying to get through customs, take care of my luggage, and get to Tokyo train station to meet up with a friend that I didn't have time to take pictures in the airport or surrounding are.

I decided to go the easy route and I shipped my luggage from the airport to my dorm. I really didn't want to drag my luggage from the airport to my hotel in Tokyo then haul them on the Shinkansen (bullet train) then to my dorm. I just had too much stuff. So I sent it off and it arrived just when I scheduled it to. It was so easy and efficient. :) I will have to do that again when I go home.

So, I met up with a friend in Tokyo at the hotel we were staying at. We went right out to help beat Jet lag (I got into Tokyo at 1:30pm and I didn't want to go to bed before 9pm so I could limit the effect of jet lag). We went out to a movie theater. We bought tickets to the newest Hayao Miyazaki film, The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu). It was awesome, though I didn't understand what was said, but he is such an amazing storyteller that I understood what was going on despite the language barrier. We took purikura and got dinner before the movie. It was a great night and a great way to start my Experience in Japan.

Any way, I won't bore you with much more to say. Here are some pictures. :) 

I wish I got a clear picture, I am pretty sure my friend said that this is Tokyo Bay. Who knew they had a bridge like the golden gate and the Statue of Liberty? It was really cool and very beautiful.

Here is the view from my hotel window. I am so glad that we stayed at the KKR Hotel by the Tokyo Imperial Palace.

Another view showing a busy street next to the palace.

I was told that the grounds at the Imperial Palace is as big as Central Park. 

This may be one of the few pictures of me to prove I was here in Japan and didn't steal all the pictures I post. ;) I am in front of the Tokyo Train Station.

Tokyo Train Station. It is the main station in Tokyo. I took the Shinkansen from here.

Another view of Tokyo Station. It is such a beautiful building in European style architecture.

 

Here is Tasgall on the Narita Express. He hasn't gotten out as much as we both had hoped, but here is to a new day!

Kyoto Tower!

Plastic food! Some restaurants have a display out front so you can see what they serve. 

 

Higashi Honganji Temple entrance. 

I mostly got pictures of the gate and not the temple inside.The temple is undergoing renovations and is under scaffolding until 2015.

It even has a mote!

This is the inside of the temple. You could go in and sit but they wouldn't let you take any pictures.
(I didn't take this picture) **

Dragon! Every temple has an are where you wash, like this, but the spout is usually bamboo or stone not a bronze dragon. It is pretty awesome.

Part of the Temple compound with Kyoto Tower in the background.

This fountain is right outside the Temple between the streets. We ate lunch here, it was quite nice.

** Picture by http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3920.html