Monthly Archives: July 2015

After a Western style lunch we drove to Hakone Park which was nestled in the caldera of an ancient volcano and is famous for its hot springs and hiking trails through the tall Pampas grass.  Hakone was also a crucial … Continue reading →

On our 2 hour bus ride along a super expressway to Mt. Fuji, our guide, Hiro, was full of interesting trivia:  fir trees created a lot of pollen causing “polinosis” (allergies); Japan is a stretched out version of California; favorite … Continue reading →

When we strolled through the Imperial Palace East Garden, the site of the old Edo Castle, we saw some of the same stone walls still standing since 1457.  Several moats used to surround the palace grounds before  reclamation of Tokyo … Continue reading →