Sara commented: "Too many photos but how do you edit when it was such an exotic trip!  The independent travel with the boys went smooth as silk!  It was a splendid trip, very ambitious, and had a nice mix of classic tourism and relaxation.  Japan was NOT on our wish list and now we'd love to return.  The hospitality of the Japanese is indescribable.  In most every place we went we were the only Caucasians and in quite a few places no one spoke Japanese.  But we did great.   Thanks for your help."

Some Picture Descriptions:

• Shabu shabu dinner - strips of raw meat into pot of broth with veggies
• Most restaurants have plastic food display
• Preparing to go to shrine
• One course of a 12 course meal served by Kimono-clad women
• For Meditating
• One of 10 courses at sushi place
• One of these green doors is our hotel room
• 350 year old thatched roof house in the steep, steep mountains
• Our futons inside the old house with center fireplace
• On top of Mount Tsurugi
• Even the construction signs are polite
• Playing the card game 'spoons' using chopsticks instead
• Down vests over Kimono
• One of our private geothermal baths
• We ate all of it but the tail.  this fish is for just one person.
• Brown clad gals walking in distance are carol, sara, and lillian
• We hit the cherry blossom homerun
• Tuna at the huge fish market in tokyo
• Breakfast of sushi at a little hole in the wall place at the fish market.  7:00 am.
• One local specialty - raw horse flesh.  It's served in a bowl made of crushed ice.