Waiting for Sakura

Today was our first full day in Japan, so we set out to explore Nagoya. We started with Nagoya Castle, a 17th century castle built by Tokugawa Ieyasu featuring armor, treasures and histories of the Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa families. As with so many cultural treasures in Japan, Nagoya Castle was almost entirely destroyed during WWII and replaced in 1959, which reminded me of so many sights in my own country (Germany). Even more interesting than the castle itself was the garden that included a lovely tea house where we enjoyed our first Japanese tea ceremony of this trip.

Then we explored the Tokugawa Art Museum which houses all sorts of shogunal furnishings, armour, and artwork. We were really impressed by the 12th century scrolls and woodblock prints depicting scenes of the The Tale of Genji. There is so much to see here! After a lovely lunch at Sakura Cafe and a walk through the garden adjacent to the museum we made our way back to Sakae to visit the Design Museum, which was an excellent contrast to the Tokugawa Art Museum. The Design Museum houses all sorts of innovative designs including furniture, cars, and technology.

But the cultural theme that emerged today was the upcoming cherry blossom season (Sakura). We saw some beautiful blossoms but think that they were actually plum blossoms. In Sakae we also enjoyed a street performance. If you listen closely you can tell that the song is about "Sakura." How fitting :-)

Nagoya

 

With a forecast of 90% chance of light rain, we started early to see all the top sites in Nagoya. On the grounds of Nagoya castle we were called by a tea garden with covered cycads like I have seen in Kyoto. These were especially interesting since one was bursting out of the rice straw winter jacket. A sign of spring?

  

We stopped for tea in the teahouse and were lucky to be the only ones there for our abbreviated "tea ceremony" of matcha (powered green tea) and a bean paste sweet. (It was not our plan to be dressed the same. We were surprised that, without consulting each other on colors, we had mostly packed matching outfits!)

 

Caution! Low hanging plum (?) branches in flower!

Deer in the castle moat.

20:49

Lincoln to Nagoya: 20 hours and 49 minutes (3 planes and 1 train.)The guidebooks didn't warn us that all station restaurants close at 10:30, so we ate at the Cafe Gentian in our hotel. French name but we had Japanese food. Yum! A good end to a long journey.

...we're off to Japan

Today we are finally off to Japan! Last minute packing is always the most stressful part of any journey but I think I've packed everything that was on Dana's list. Here are the last three pieces I still need to add...

traveling light

I'm looking forward to a light load that doesn't include my computer or lots of camera equipment for a change. My goal was to pare down to carry-on only and I found that it can always be done, even for 10 days in Japan as winter turns to spring.

dreaming of...

All this bedside reading has me dreaming of my favorite things.

a little bedside reading

In preparation for the research trip, we rounded up a little bedside reading. We make the transition to actual experience beginning at 5:30 pm March 13 if the flights are on time.