Leaving Japan

Japan is a delightful country and we saw so much and so little in the time that we were there. Here are a few final notes on Japan.

The food of Japan can be strange and mysterious. Clifton Gray said "If life gives you a lemon, make lemonade. However, if life gives you a pickle, you might as well give up, because pickle-ade is disgusting." well in Japan they found a way to serve it for 500 yen along with pickle ice-cream for desert. Despite it's strangeness, we actually loved the food we had, especially the sushi.

While we have seen many of the national animals of the various countries we have been in we were really hoping for a glimpse of Japan's national animal, Godzilla, but had to settle for King Kong climbing up the side of a building.

Japan has the best toilets in the world, bar none. With push button controls, a heated seat, and a variety of spray and clean functions they are amazing and certainly undo the myths of the Asian toilet.

We will have to come back to japan as we did not get to see much of the ancient samurai, or the modern ones who practice Judo, Aikido, or Karate, or Kendo or any of the other martial arts practiced in japan. The footprints of the ancient Samurai are gone, however, their spirit still walks the land as the modern Japanese still seek the things they sought.

Our journey in this land was too short but this quote by Hojo Shigetoki should put our whole journey into perspective.

One should have insight into this world of dreams that passes in the twinkling of an eye.

Hojo Shigetoki (1198-1261)