SUNDAY IN TOKYO WITH LEE

Naturally Lee's first night was marked by "wakeful moments" about every hour or so.  That meant, on the other hand, from the comfort of his bed, he was able to catch several beautiful images of the dawning day ...

... an auspicious beginning to what turned out to be an enjoyable and fascinating day, culminating in a roundabout but ultimately successful meeting up with Sean and Ted at Kansai Airport in Osaka.


After an early breakfast, he even had an opportunity to "tune up" his skills as a tour guide when, out for a morning stroll around the neighborhood, he ran across a beautiful little Shinto shrine just at the same moment as a young American couple -- who graciously allowed him to expound on what, exactly, it was that they were looking at.  Great fun (and leading to a stated wish that he accompany them everywhere else they intended to visit while in Japan)!


The highlight of the day, however, was his sojourn to the Big Sight convention center on Odaiba for the Tokyo International Anime Fair.  Getting there involved a couple of subway transfers, and Lee found all those old travel skills returning as he maneuvered himself around the city without a hitch.  Although arriving several minutes before the opening bell, he nonetheless found himself at the end of a line of anxious souls several thousands strong!


Here are a couple of collages attempting to capture something of the experience. 

Or, if you have a fast connection and/or several minutes to spare, take a look at the short movie:

 

A pleasant early lunch followed, selections from a wide assortment of French bakery goods, consumed while watching a gaggle of young kids cavort through the cascading streams of a "jumping waters" fountain.  Sunny Sundays bring out family groups galore, especially so when those sun-filled days fall at the conclusion of the academic year as they seem to have today.

The less-than-two-hour Nozomi Shinkansen trip between Tokyo and Osaka brought clear views of a snow-covered Mt. Fuji but proved otherwise uneventful.  Lee spent most of his time editing the one-hundred-twenty-plus images from the anime convention before arriving at the Best Western Hotel in Hineno where he and "the boys" are bunking for the night.

Upon arrival at Kansai AIrport, however, he discovered that the flight Sean and Ted were scheduled to take was, in point of fact, a DOMESTIC flight, another unanticipated change from prior experience.  Interestingly, the flight was listed at the Travel Information Counter as both a "domestic" and an "international" flight and only through a consultation with the Airline Information Counter personnel was the local nature of the flight confirmed!  Sean and Ted faced the same inconsistencies in Tokyo but nonetheless ended up making the scheduled transfer.  Lee, too, was waiting in the appropriate spot when they emerged from the baggage pick up arrivals area.

Back at the Best Western we all trooped over top a nearby Lawsons convenience store to pick up a light supper before turning in for some much appreciated sleep, before which, however, we all plugged in online to complete our various posts and journal entries (actually Sean wrote his longhand in the notebook Lee gave him earlier in preparation for the trip - how retro!)

Time to turn out the light and turn in - we've another busy day ahead tomorrow!