Konnichiwa (Hello) from Japan.  The sun came up very early this morning, before 5 AM.  Maybe that is why they call Japan ‘the land of the rising sun’.  

Last night the hotel gave us a large suite because they were all out of the rooms we had reserved.  It was very spacious with two bathrooms and a seating area.  The toilets had heated seats and a built-in bottom washer and dryer.  A light-year different from the squat type toilets we found in the JR (Japan Rail) system.  After breakfast, we went back to the airport to pick up our JR Rail Pass and rent a phone.  Standard GSM doesn’t work here.  It then took four hours and two trains, one to Tokyo and an express from the Tokyo Station, to get to Kyoto.  It was raining in Tokyo, cleared as we headed West but light rain again in Kyoto.  We are in the New Miyako Hotel across the street from the Kyoto Rail Station.  Kyoto is an old city dating back way before 700 AD.  Numerous Japanese Emperors built different shrines and temples here over the past 1200 years for various political reasons making this one of the prettiest cities in Japan.   The hotel a convenient location for our daily jaunts to explore some of Japan’s better sites.  However our room for the week is only half the size of the one we had last night by the airport.  

We are told that Cherry Blossom week just ended so we may not be able to get the best blossom photos.  Kathy is experimenting with her Lingo (talking Translator) and we have learned a couple japanese words.  Our first impressions are that prices are high, people seem to try to please you but the culture, food and prices are very different from what we have in the US.  No chocolate bunnies here but Happy Easter anyway.