2011 Japan Vacation

NASA?


Nasa Building in Kyoto

I took this picture for two reasons. Because “BuilDing” struck me as an unusual romanization choice, and because I was curious what the place actually was. Turns out it rents 460-square-foot apartments for $840/month. So, not an expansive vision of Space.

Still no idea what it’s supposed to stand for, though, unlike the one in Osaka.

Beyond the obvious


One of my goals for this trip was to revisit places without the time pressure of a tour group. The tours are worth doing once, especially if you’re short on time, but you miss more than you see.

Kinkakuji pond

Play space


Just in case the kids don’t have the patience for a lengthy visit to the Kyoto Botanical Garden.

Play area at Kyoto Botanical Garden

They bought crackers


Nara deer in hot pursuit

Moats aren't just for duckies


Black swan at Hikone Castle

Life on the river


As always, the boatmen on the Hozugawa Kudari river-boat ride are cheerful and funny. I just wish I could keep up with their jokes.

Hozugawa Kudari boatman

Hills on fire


I’ve been trying to space out the insane-fall-colors pictures, because it’s so easy to overdose. And this was on a cloudy day.

Fall foliage on the Hozu River

I think if you set your camera to “vivid”, you’d crack the lens after a while.

"Leaves are for tourists..."


“​…I’ve got work to do.”

Pollination at Kyoto Botanical Garden

“Need a clue, take a clue,
 got a clue, leave a clue”