To bow or not to bow; what a silly question!

The answer is you always bow, if someone compliments you, you bow, if someone insults you you bow, if someone says they love you you bow, if you do a good job you bow, if you do a bad job you bow. If you bowed on every word you would only be slightly over doing it.

I was on the train from Kanasi airport to Shin-Osaka, a well-dressed man (compared to our rail workers) walked up checking tickets and selling them if needed, after he finished our car he walked back to the front of it, bowed to the people saying something (I recognized it was a thanks of some form) then walked the length of the car to do the same thing to the next car, it was so odd, there has indeed been a lot of bowing and a lot of insights into the Japanese philosophy, they are an interesting people. A large lower class but they still take pride in themselves unlike our Australian lower class. (yes Japan has its homeless and I`m not taking about them but the lower paid jobs of construction workers, cleaners, other 'lesser' jobs. I`ll be happy to talk to anyone about the positive and negative consequences of this)

For now I`m off to get some dinner I think tempura udon (I`v been told its very good.)

First Day

Well I`m safe in Japan, in Kyoto, the trip was fairly good but they did not have the latest planes that’s for sure, it seems to be the oldest ones in the fleet. In any case I got to Kansai International and found a very Japanese welcome.

I once I disembarked I had a ride on a monorail to get to the departure lounge, the Japanese will wait behind the yellow line much better than Australians will, but tell them 'door closing' and more people make a running dive to get on. Its very funny.
The day pass has been a… slightly mitigated success, while its cheep the idea of getting off the train and looking around and getting back on the next one is a BAD idea in this mad house, the rail network somewhat resembles the work computer network, the “blue spaghetti”
Anyway I went to Himeji and viewed the castle, it’s a GREAT castle, one that would make any medieval king green with envy, mad with greed and then sorry for the lives lost in the fruitless attempt to take it. Its that good and I got some great photos of it.. anyway I have to head off now I may post more later.

Things to see (before you go to Japan)

Last day at work and I`m mostly clean9ing up and reassigning jobs. So I have time to put this up.

There is a lot of information about Japan and it is good to find as much out before you go. A good starting point is the lonely planet guide to Japan, but there is a lot more, on the internet, I`m going to put up a few of the links I found

General pages:

Japan guide

SEQ (seldom asked questions) in fact the hosing page of that http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/ seems fairly good but I have yet to read that and likely wont)

The Japan FAQ

Japan Lifestyle

Sunrise tours almost the only company, that iand I think ISA tours, this one is the best (IMHO).

Japan Rail page

Cherry blossoms

In Tokyo:

Markets

Tourism info

Take it as read that all the cities have Japan guide pages that are worth going to http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html

There are lots more I have been to but none I can be bothered with now. I`m unlikely to put them up unless someone cares.

Maiden post,

Well its now three days and 5 hours (give or take, its not like I am counting :D ) until I am taking off for Japan, I`v decided to blog my trip and various related things in the hope of letting my friends know what I am doing and helping other people going to Japan.

It started on the 14^th of September when I booked the air tickets, but the planning began months before that, now I have books on Japan, Tokyo, Maps, e-stores of data and locations… you can say its helped keep me sane or you can say its an obsession that shows the full measure of my insanity.

My trip will be GPS enabled, both so I can find my way around, do some geocaching and have a record of where I have been and when I was there.

This is also going to be a Photography trip, I have my well used (and slightly abused) Canon EOS 300D, a 17-85mm IS lens, 55-200mm lens, 50mm f1.8 and… well a truck load of accessories, memory and batteries, not forgetting a speed light. The exact content is open to negotiation between me and some of newtons more annoying laws/ideas.

I have also decided that Kathmandu is my friend, particularly when they are having a 50% off sale and offering a further 10% off to members, now I have clothing I will be using over there. People its worth getting the quality of Kathmandu, and if you can pay 45% of the marked price its almost affordable.

Well this is the first part of my blog, I`ll post more info before I go but this is just because I am waiting for things to happen at work that I need to monitor.