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The top photo is of Pearl next to a female Buddha. Nah, Not sure what this was. I wonder, though, how many females are known to have attained
Nirvana.
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The photos above and below were taken at Japanese restaurant on the 38th floor of the building next to the Tokyo Westin with Hiromi and Kenji Hotta (of Nihon University). If my stomach appears enlarged, yes, the trip was very fulfilling and filling.
Yuya Hatanaka reported on the Search for Kenjiro’s Grandmothers. He accompanied us to the Daisen City Office and various temples in Akita Prefecture on Wednesday, April 22. Hopefully, someone out there will respond.
A few more observations about Japan:
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1. Tatsuko, the Dragon Princess of Lake Tazawa, was not a female samurai.
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2. The 100 Yen stores now charge 105 Yen. We purchased a lot of 10-color ball point pens as gifts. Yes, 10 colors in one pen. Each at a cost of about a dollar. Also, over time, I've noticed that there is a special type of socks, each at a dollar, that comes in a rainbow assortment of colors, is easy to put on and take off, and lasts forever.
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3. Approximately 80% of Japanese women still dye their hair some shade of brown. The male percentage is closer to 20. These numbers seem to be holding.
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4. The latest on Japan's next Prime Minister: Ishihara is too young (51), Yosano is too old (71), Aso is too unpopular and Ozawa is too scandalized. The elections will be held any time from July to October.
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5. Will Japan overreact to the "dreaded" (CNN actually used this term today) swine flu? Well, both Narita and Kansai Airports have thermographic capabilities to measure your body temperature. Thus, if you are flying in from Mexico, you will most definitely be checked, and "processed" if you have a fever. Kansai will also screen American flights.
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6. Over dinner, there were several discussions about rice. My experience with wine tastings is that people (even experts) cannot tell wines apart in a blind tasting. The failure quotient of differentiating among Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is very high. The cheapest wine is manytimes picked as the most expensive, etc. As most know that Niigata rice is the best and Akita's, is, perhaps, #2. With my wine tasting expertise in mind, I suggested that if anyone held a rice tasting of, say, six Northern Japan rices, the failure rate of picking the exact location would be very high. Everyone...everyone disagreed with me, even Pearl. So, I suggested that Akita Prefecture University hold such a taste test. I'll bring with me a California rice, and wouldn't be surprised if this is picked as high as that of Niigata. This would sort of be the rice equivalent of Bottle Shock.
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