The Quaich's Journeys Through Japan

[rtc872]

CDNSushi, making it harder for everyone. haha I am disappointed I couldn't see it while I was in Japan. I was a little preoccupied though. lol

Fantastic pictures and the timing couldn't have been better. Cherry blossoms and wonderful weather.

[English Bloke]

Great pictures mate... A grand opener. Nice one!

[CDNSushi]

I wasn't sure at first whether this should all go into one thread, but in the end, I decided that it would be the most logical thing to do, even if this photo essay doesn't start on "page 1."

I will also post a cross-link on the photos thread directing to here.

Alright, as promised, I'm back to fill in some of the details from my previous post. If the logbook entry and photos were the appetizer, I suppose this would be the main course. I haven't thought about what I can do about desert yet, though.

From the original 282 photos, I cut things down to just over a hundred, but even that is a LOT! The set that I thought I would share with the rabble totals 73, and as I write this, I'm not even sure whether that is realistic. But I will just dive headlong into it, and see how far I get. I also don't want to become tedious or boring.

Two weeks isn't a whole lot of time, and I realized this as soon as I received the parcel from Steve. I was suddenly overcome by a sense of dread. Where will I go? What will I do? Will I have the time to make this something special and meaningful? Will I be able to do this project justice, having been such a proponent of it in the first place?

I decided that my plan of action would be to try and represent as much of Japan's varied culture and geography as I could, while sharing the experience with as many people as would be available in the allotted time. This then coagulated into something a little more manageable and easier to organize.

The first trip I made was to Miho-no-Matsubara, which as I detailed in the logbook, is a fantastic place for viewing Mt. Fuji. But even without that significant landmark, the three hour journey to Shizuoka was very much worthwhile.



The way the trees give way to the beach, and then the crashing waves of the ocean were truly special on this day! As I stood in the chilly water, the Quaich was baptized in the Pacific Ocean, which I thought would be a great way to start this adventure.





There was a small shrine near the beach that I thought looked really interesting. It just reminded me of something you might see in an old, Samurai flick. All that was missing was an armor-clad warrior, praying here in the wee hours of the morning, as the sun rises over the Pacific, just before he charges into battle with a rival clan!



This curious monument didn't really call out to me, until I looked much more closely at it and realized there was a poem inscribed in French, and that it was dedicated to the friendship between Japan and France. I included it here for our resident francophones and francophiles alike.





Many of the photos I took were actually without the Quaich… Even though it traveled with me, I felt that it would become tacky quickly if every photo were the same, with me holding it or drinking from it… There are enough of those shots anyway.

[CDNSushi]

Kofu City is a miserable place in the winter. Gray, dull, and dirty. But come spring, it makes a remarkable transformation into a pink and green wonderland.



Some of my close friends gathered for a "hanami" which is a traditional, Japanese cherry blossom-viewing picnic. It was here that I first had the chance to introduce the Quaich to others, share some good whisky, and sign the logbook.











Here's me with the missus -- the fine lady who puts up with all my eccentricities, enjoying a drink together.

[CDNSushi]

So, between that small gathering of friends, it seems we went through the entire bottle of Glenfiddich rather quickly. In the span of no more than two hours, it was all gone, and here I am, just a wee bit tipsy, holding the bottle upside-down to show that it's empty. After this, we all went to the traditional, Japanese "ni-jikai" or "second party." I'll tell ya -- the Japanese know how to DRINK!







The next trip I took was to Minobu, Temple. It is the world headquarters to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, which is the second in the world for its number of practitioners around the globe. Nichiren was a saint who lived hundreds of years ago in Japan, whose philosophy for achieving enlightenment (and Nirvana) was the repetitive recitation of the "Lotus Sutra." Now, I'm not a Buddhist myself, so I won't claim that what I say here is 100% error-free, but I will do my best.

I came on a very auspicious day. Let me fast-forward for a second, as it will tell the tale much more easily if I do. The next day, on our river boat cruise (explanation forthcoming) I met a lovely lady named June, who grew up in Tokyo but moved to the U.S. and now works as a realtor in Las Vegas. As we got into a conversation I learned she was a Nichiren Buddhist, so without missing a beat I whipped out my digital camera and showed her all the pictures I had taken from Minobu Temple the day before. She was thrilled to see them, and told me that I was very lucky as it happened to be the Buddha's birthday, and that was the reason for all the pomp and ceremony I had photographed and taken video of.


Taking a drink from the Quaich, with my new friend June sitting next to me.

Anyway, back to the story.

[Santa Wally]

Awesome photos of a Japanese travelogue hosted by CDNSushi. Japan was a great first international stop on the Quaich's worldwide journey, looking forward to future photos of the journey. CDNSishi has set a high bar for the rest of the hosts to come. How fitting of having a toast for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.

[Bugbear]

Thanks, CDNSushi.

[cessna152towser]

Wow! This is a fabulous set of photos which shows us a beautiful country which many of us can only dream of visiting. You have really done the Quaich proud, in respect of the tour of Japan, in the photographic coverage and in the thoughtful inclusion of items from Japan to travel onwards to Australia.

[MacGuffin]

These pictures are absolutely wonderful CDNSushi, they remind me why I was so fascinated with the country. It was great seeing the Quaich in so many locations and shared with so many.

[English Bloke]

Striking pictures. Thanks for showing us all a piece of your corner.