Monday, July 02, 2007

Beautiful Japan

My favorite things about Japan? Well, that's an easy question - almost everything. But the top of the list would be the people.

Hiking buddies

Great people that we met and got to know, like our new friends Takeshi and Kaoru. And all the people who were just so nice and patient with us. People offered to take our photo more in Japan then anywhere else in the world. And they got in the photos with us.

Making friends

From cute young women in Osaka, to business men in Masomoto out for dinner and beer after work. They were all super nice, even though we could only exchange about five words. These guys came to our rescue to make sure we got draft beer, and not bottled beer.

Yakitori buddies

Here comes the predictable part - wait for it - some of the most fun we had was while riding bikes.

Nicest dog owner ever

Kyoto River path

The casual atitude towards cycling was so refreshing. We've really run the gamut on this trip, from countries where cycling is dangerous and not fun, with mandatory helmet laws and the sense that it is just not safe, to Japan, where kids in child bike seats rarely even wear helmets.

Home from school

And families ride home together after dark.

Heading home at night

Bike rental shops don't offer helmets to you when you rent a bike, but they do offer you sun hats.

Wasabi farm bike ride

Makes sense to me. I'm much more worried about skin cancer then hitting my head after falling off my bike. I was pretty envious of the casual bike culture. How fun would it have been as a school kid to get to and from school with your friends like this?

Going home from school.

Rush hour

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