This is the room we stayed in at a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese bed and breakfast) called the "Three Sisters" in Kyoto. The middle one of the three sisters, a woman in her late seventies, was managing the Ryokan during our stay. She was so warm and helpful to us.
A man praying at the Asakusa Kannon Temple (also known Sensoji Temple) in Tokyo. According to tradition, the temple was built after two fisherman pulled a golden statue of Kannon from the sea.
Sitting on the Shinkansen "Bullet" train, waiting for it to depart to Kyoto. The Shinkansen on some lines can reach maximum speeds of 200mph, but on the Tokyo to Kyoto route, it only hit maximum speeds of 100mph.
We wanted to share some of our impressions from our recent trip to Japan. It is amazing country, with a beauty and sense of history that is hard to comprehend from photos. It is also incredibly efficient, organized, and clean in a way that is very different than the US.