Tokyo and then on to Kyoto

As we were wandering about Tokyo, we stumbled onto the Shiaubatsu Shrine. I have to say, this is a country of Shrines. You can't walk more than a block or so before you come across a shrine. Some are small and look very personal. Some a very large, and are built in the middle of a large pond covered with huge lotuses.

Everything behind Doreen here, to the shrine in the background, is a pond.


You can see how big the lotus plants are:


and the flowers are very beautiful:


Even unopened:


I zoomed into the shrine so you can see it better:


and there was a path through the water so you can see that it really is a pond:


Here is another one of the "No smoking while walking signs"


Today was the day that we headed down to Kyoto on the Bullet Train.

It operated like clockwork, so we had to get to the station a little early to make sure we didn't miss the departure. Here I am waiting:


and a Self Portrait:


That is not our train, but another across the track:


When we got to our seats we were very happy.


The light green fields are rice. We also saw very dark green, which was some leafy vegetable, like spinach.


You could see these mountains almost the whole way there: