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Travels with Harry - a Photo Journal—Japan
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Harry's new friend Aki, left, gives him a birds-eye view of Matsumoto Castle, begun by Ishikawa Kazumasa in 1590. Cleverly designed to be an immense pain in the neck to invading forces, the castle's staircases have much higher than normal stair risers (55-61 degree incline!), making it necessary for Harry to travel up and down in a shirt pocket.
 At right, Harry joins the professional staff of a diorama, located adjacent to the expansive lawn surrounding Matsumoto Castle. Harry feels no depiction of 16th and 17th century Japanese government could possibly be complete without a horse, however small or plastic.
 Harry, at left astride a grim reminder that driving is hazardous even in Japan, looks into the distance at the Japanese Alps. He's soon to arrive in Hakuba, which he's told means "White Horse". All efforts to find and meet the white horse, however, were unsuccessful - there was nobody there but a bunch of skiers.
 At right, Harry takes his bearings while on the walk to the Ginza from his room at City Pension Zem in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The arrows on the stock exchange sign prove less than helpful as navigational aids.
 In Tokyo, not far from the JR train station, Harry finds an interesting sculpture, left, at the Sony building.
Our intrepid horse, standing just above and to the right of the "Y" in "SONY", feels more than just a little dwarfed by the artwork (though the flowers proved quite tasty).
 At right, Harry surveys a Ginza street. He's just visited the Yamaha music emporium, where his attempts to purchase a book of Tokio Uchida guitar music failed to bear fruit. He will soon opt for lunch in a nearby Italian restaurant, where he will discover that pizza with seaweed on it is not bad.
 A somewhat more disconcerting culinary adventure found Harry, left, in a restaurant in Taito-ku, Tokyo, called Nakae, which specializes in horsemeat. Harry's friend Nobu, and the lady who runs the establishment, look on as Harry tries to absorb the import of a plate of horse sushi, while sakuranabe bubbles away behind him.
Being plastic, Harry's not sure of the moral implications of consuming horseflesh. He responds by consuming large quantities of Löwenbrau and sake, which he has learned can, in sufficient volume, resolve even the prickliest of dilemmas.
 After sufficient fluid fortification, Harry, at right, contented himself to watch everyone else dine, but elected to save his appetite for a patch of grass he'd noticed outdoors.
 Unable to climb to the top due to dense cloud and scheduling conflicts, Harry's trip to Fujiyama has to end at the auto park, partway up the mountain.
In all, Harry feels that Japan is a pleasant country to visit. The people are friendly and eager to share their rich culture, but Harry would prefer a greater number of vegetarian restaurants, specializing in grasses and grains, as opposed to meats and fish.
 Here at right, Harry visits with a new friend at Oka no Siena (or "Hill of Siena"), a very nice Italian restaurant in Osaka.
Harry was quite fond of another Osaka restaurant in Senri Chuo, called Ume no Hana (Plum of Flower). This was originally opened as a tofu restaurant that served only vegetarian items, but they have since learned that a restaurant doesn't survive long without serving sashimi.
Continue with Harry to Alaska, Australia, Germany, England, and New Zealand,
or return to Harry's Page.
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