Rickshaw

The driver of this rickshaw carrying two girls looked up at me just when I took the photo.

Japan: Tomonoura

Tomonoura is a small fishing village famous as the location for several films: notably Ponyo and Wolverine.

Hotel High Up

This hotel almost seems like it could have been in a James Bond film starring Roger Moore.

Japan: Atomic Bomb Dome

The Genbaku Dome (aka Hiroshima Peace Memorial, or the Atomic Bomb Dome) is a former exhibition hall that somehow still stands as a ruin.

Japan: Miyajima

Miyajima (Shrine Island), is an island famous for the O-Torii gate seemingly surrounded by water.

Japan: Kurashiki

Kurashiki has a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo Period, when the city served as an important rice distribution center. In fact, “Kurashiki” roughly translates to “town of storehouses” in reference to the rice storehouses.

Japan: Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is the only castle we visited in Japan is a “real” castle, ie. it is the original castle (with some restoration work) and not a reconstruction.

Japan: Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima Castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945 but has been reconstructed (in 1958) and now serves as a museum of Hiroshima history pre World War II.