Notes:

1. The school children in Japan seem to be fascinated with Americans.  They see so few of us they just assume we're somebody important or perhaps a movie star.  It's not uncommon to have them approach and ask for your autograph.  Several of them came up to me and asked to practice their English with me.  They also had their picture taken with us.  They're really quite beautiful!

2. This wood statue, and others nearby, is much more massive than the picture seems to indicate

10. Although I didn't receive their explicit permission to publish this picture, I hope they don't mind.  These are some of my traveling companions, their parents, and some of their parents coworkers.  The house we're in belongs to the coworker of my friends' parents.  He heard we were coming and simply had to have us over.  Hospitality in Japan approaches something like a religion, it's really quite extraordinary.  This house is a very traditional (and incredibly expensive) house in Japan and was passed down from the older generations: it is by no means typical.  Space in Japan is very expensive.

11.  Yes, that's how they eat noodles - slurp!  Americans look very silly when trying to be polite and eat "properly" so no sound is made.  In fact, that's considered rude over there.  So if you want to fit in, make lots of noise, and slurp away!  You really can't overdo it; it's a lot of fun.

12. Swamp feet: this is in a Ninja museum.  Those special wide "shoes" are what ninjas used to cross swamps at night in preparation for an invasion on a castle.  I saw them and just had to try them!

13. This, I think, is a hilarious story.  It seems whenever Ray is over in Japan (his lovely wife is Japanese and moved here several years ago) and tries to get a picture of the famed bullet train - it always comes from the opposite direction and speeds on by (it's very fast if not stopping for passengers).  So this time Ray was certain it was going to come from the direction his camcorder is pointing.  Well I thought I'd get a picture of Ray trying to get a picture.  Sure enough, just as he was all set in one direction, we heard a "whish!" and here comes the train - from the opposite direction.  It's a conspiracy Ray.  (Notice the gentleman in the back - so polite - he steps out of his place in line so as not to interfere with the picture.)

14. The bullet trains are every bit as noiseless, fast and on time as the stories tell.  You can set your clock by them.

17. Woman in alley: I was lagging behind the others on one of our side trips and ducked up into an alley.  Whenever I travel I try to do that to see as much off the beaten path as I can.  I saw this hunched over woman shuffling slowly down the hill in this alley.  It was very quiet and I remember the sound of her feet.  It was just one of those special, quiet moments that stay with you.

18/19. On the bus ride down to the south it looked like we were about to be launched into space.  This is a very unique bridge that was built to join opposite ends of the road which were on different levels coming across the mountain.  You really are out in the middle of space - the pictures don't quite capture it.

20.  "Turning Japanese, I really think so..."