Around The World - 1977

by Mike Newman with help from Bill Garsden


Route Map - Japan

I flew from Hong Kong to the old Tokyo International airport at Haneda and took the monorail into town. Since I had a Japan Rail Pass I decided to get moving. First I went down to Nagoya to visit a friend and took a side trip to Kyoto. Then I headed all the way up north and spent almost two weeks touring the island of Hokkaido. Then it was back to Tokyo and on to Korea.

Ryoan-ji Temple, Kyoto. This is a Zen temple in Kyoto with a famous rock garden.

Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto. The Gold Pavilion. One of the buildings in the Rokuon-ji (Deer Garden Temple) in Kyoto. Covered with pure gold leaf. The original of this structure dates from the 13th century, but was burned down by a deranged monk in the 1950's and rebuilt. The building houses relics of Buddha.

Kyoto

Kyoto

Fall flowers, Kyoto

Fall colors. Kyoto

Kyoto

Kyoto

Aomori Bay. I took the bullet train (Shinkansen) from Kyoto to Tokyo and then an ordinary overnight train from Tokyo to the northern port city of Aomori. From Aomori I took a ferry to the port city of Hokkaido, Hakodate. Now that the Sein Tunnel is open this ferry service no longer exists.

Aomori Harbor. The ferry across the straight here took about four hours. There was lots of floor space to crash out on and the typical amusements.

Japanese inn, Hokkaido

This is a typical rural railway station in Hokkaido. So uncrowded compared with the rest of Japan.

Birch Trees, Hokkaido

Rural road, Hokkaido

Hot springs, Akan National Park, Hokkaido

Hot springs, Akan National Park, Hokkaido

Lake Akan. This volcanic lake, located in Akan National Park, is home to the famous spherical algae called "Marimo". There are a number of hot spring resorts in the area.

Lake Mashu, Akan National Park, Hokkaido

Small Hokkaido village.

Lake Akan

Ainu Home - The indigenous people of Hokkaido are called Ainu. Their culture and language are quite distinct from the ethnic Japanese. They sometimes hide their identity to avoid racial discrimination.

Rural road, Hokkaido

Lake Akan

Lake Kussharo - Akan National Park

Nap on the train

Japanese Inn, Sapporo

Hokkaido

Hokkaido

Fishing nets, Hokkaido

Fishing boats, Hokkaido

From Hokkaido I headed back to Tokyo by train. This is some gate hardware at, I think, the Imperial Palace

Tokyo

Tokyo

Panda. Ueno Zoo, Tokyo

Ueno Zoo, Tokyo

Stone wall, Tokyo (Imperial Palace?)

Pachingo Parlor, Tokyo

Shopping street, Tokyo

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo garden. From Tokyo I flew on to Seoul.



Introduction England Scotland Europe
Turkey Iran Afghanistan Pakistan
India 1 India 2 Nepal Burma
Thailand Malaysia/Singapore Indonesia 1 Indonesia 2
Hong Kong Macau Japan Korea