A quick 2 night stay in Nara has proven to be laidback breather, as we have been able to take our time and slowly explore this little place. Nara is known for its famous deer park, and the deer did not disappoint, as they mingled amongst the shrines and temples and tourists - quite the unique experience! Most of the sites in Nara are in the wooded park, so we followed the path today to visit ponds, gardens, temples, and the Giant Buddha - the biggest bronze Buddh...

Okay that was bad. But we are tired! And since Kyoto is the headquarters of Nintendo, Troy felt we needed at least one video game reference in the blog. We have fallen in love with Kyoto, and have been making the most of our 4 nights here by motoring through as many sights as possible (which goes against our new travel philosophy which is to "see less and see it better"), but it is so hard not to! Every temple, shrine, and garden is stunning, and we float around...

We have made our way 2 hours north of Tokyo to Nikko for two days to visit the National Park, and we are back in the chill! Up in the mountains, we have entered what might be described as a British Columbia/Algonquin experience, complete with sky high trees, lush, crisp air, and the beginning of the autumn colours. We have a handy bus pass to take us around the area, and have visited the natural sites, as well as the Toshogu Shrine site, which is full of elaborat...

After an almost 24 hour total journey from Munich, we arrived in Tokyo last night! As anticipated, this seems to be the land of fast and reliable internet, so we can update right away! First impressions of Tokyo: Busy, very clean, bright, efficient, courteous, quiet, not as expensive as you would think if you do some research. The transportation system is mindblowing, and it is worth repeating - SO quiet and clean. Our first experience began last night as we jo...