Greetings from Japan

[Chacal]

Konnichi wa!

It is 1:30 AM now for me in Osaka, Japan.

There's a lot of them Japanese!
I have been oggling tiny cute girls all day.
Tomorrow I'm off to Kyoto until April 27th.

I must leave you now because I have to go stop the hair coloring in a bathroom. An admin's job never stops.

Sayonara,
Chacal-san.

[CreepingCharlie]

Awesome Chacal.

[Buliwyf]

chcal take a pic of yourself so we know what you look like

[SavageParrot]

Oh god no, every time he takes the mask off it just smells like boot feet and burning flesh.

[Major Hazard]

Have fun Chacal-San

[willy lump lump]

sweet trip

[SuPer PuZZy]

hmmm send me some sake

[gowhitesox99]

awesome post lots of pics!!

[Chin_Sack]

Sheesh, I would of thought there would be like 20 peeps with DSs on that train...lol

[Wairudo Enjin]

I've always wanted to go to Japan; have fun!

[Chacal]

Hello Wairudo Gaijin!

Since I'm stuck in an amazingly boring meeting, I will post an update.
Even though I've been in Kyoto for 7 days, I have had time to visit due to work and weather. This part will start tomorrow.

Last Saturday I went to Nara and filled two 2GB memory cards with pictures and movies.

A Japanese delegate had given me instructions on getting to the workshop of a traditional master swordmaker (very respected as a living legend). Even with that, we had to get help from locals who were quite surprised we knew about it. We got to it by following footpaths in the woods. I couldn't return there if I tried, and I have no idea how the place is called except "near the Miwa train station". I took pictures of his showroom (there's a special right now on a katana for 250000$, a good bargain). We even got to shoot pictures and movies of some craftsman forging a sword, until he looked up and said politely "please leave now". You don't argue with a guy who's forging a sword.

[Chacal]

The area around the workshop was beautiful and serene. Birds, frogs, flowing streams could be heard. I took several close-up pictures of stones, moss, etc.

It is impossible to post any significant amount of pictures here but I will try to publish an on-line photo album someday.

[Chacal]

Then we went back to Nara and to the main temples. There are thousands of visitors at any time, both tourists and worshippers. The temple of Todai-Ji was first built between 724 and 749 AD, and then rebuilt around 1600 after fire destroyed it (a common occurence in Japan). The current temple, even though 33% smaller than the original, is the largest wooden building in the world. It is HUGE. Pictures can't begin to show how big the thing is. Look at the people in the doorways in this picture. Remember, the building is made entirely of wood. It houses an enormous Buddha statue. The wooden pillars in the temple are 50 meters high and 1 meter across, some date back to the original temple. I have seen hammer marks that date back to 724 AD!

Nara is known for the thousands of deer roaming freely around the city, pciking tourists clean of any excess food they might be carrying.

[gowhitesox99]

ha the kid is just petting the deer, wow! Cool pics Chacal, when you get back keep em coming!

[[ecgn] btt]

I have seen hammer marks that date back to 724 AD!

The poor guy that made them there marks. Centuries later and people can still see his crappy work.