The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a huge, bronze statue of the Amitābha Buddha at the Kōtoku-in Temple complex in Kamakura, Japan. It was said to have been built in 1252. The statue stands approximately 13.35m tall and weighs approximately 93 tons. It is hollow inside. It has withstood various natural calamities, including a tsunami in 1498 that wiped out its surrounding temple, and numerous earthquakes. In the 1960s, its neck was reinforced to protect it from future damage.

Kamakura is located in the prefecture of Kanagawa, about 50 kilometers south west of Tokyo.

- Angelo

A foot spa at an onsen in Hakone, Japan.

Onsen is the Japanese term for “hot springs.” The term, however, is often used to refer to the bathing facilities and ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) surrounding the springs.

Hakone is a resort town in Japan famous for its hot springs. It is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, south west of Yokohama.

- Angelo

A shot from one of my diving experiences in Thailand.

Here’s one of Sunday and a dive instructor and they’re next to a shark!

Ever wonder what it would be like to jump into the water and look around 40m below the surface? The underwater world is mysterious and yet inviting, the experience of diving it provides and addictive sense of zen. There’s no better place to have your first dive experience than Thailand – with good conditions year round.

Most dive shops in Thailand offer PADI certification but it’s also possible to find a few offering NAUI and SSI certifications. Beginners may be more comfortable diving in the calmer and shallower waters off the east coast of Thailand, with destinations such as Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Koh Samet or Koh Chang being the most popular on that side.

More advanced divers and those beginners who are confident in their abilities will have a better time diving around Phuket and the Similan Islands. Hotspots for diving around here include Phuket, Phi Phi and Khao Lak.

Phuket has the most upscale dive operations but if you are watching your budget, you might be more comfortable taking a course at Phi Phi or Khao Lak. Phi Phi is quite popular among the younger crowd but there are hotels catering to older couples and families, which also offer scuba diving courses. Khao Lak offers an excellent choice of dive shops and also has a good range of accommodation to suit most tastes. It is also the closest jumping off point to the Similan Islands.

The Similan Islands, technically located in Phang Nga province, provide some of the best dive sites in the world. Protected within a marine national park, the nine islands are still pristine and rich with wildlife above and below the water. Most dive operators will take you ashore at one of the islands, where you can enjoy the powder-white beaches and see exotic birds and monkeys.

Under the waves, the colourful reefs and boulder formations are teeming with coral and a variety of marine life. Sometimes whale sharks are even spotted in the waters, as well as rays and other sharks. Visibility is good, varying from 30-50m. The best way to see the Similans is by liveaboard, and most dive operators will allow you to do your Open Water dives from the boat if you’ve completed the paper and pool work ashore beforehand.

Much like Phi Phi, Koh Tao is a fun place for backpackers to learn how to scuba dive. This may well be the most affordable place in Thailand to take a PADI Open Water course and to build up your dive log. Unfortunately it’s not the best diving in Thailand – but it’s not yet the worst either. Koh Tao used to offer frequent whale shark sightings but they are relatively rare these days. It’s also conveniently close (2 hours by speed boat) to Samui. In fact you can do diving courses on Samui too.

The number of dive boats on a site is not restricted, so you may find there is too much company around peak dive times. You may find yourself surrounded by 50 to 100 divers at a time, with most of them being Open Water students or day trippers from Samui.

Needless to say, Koh Tao might be great for learning and for progressing to instructor – but it’s not all that great for just recreational diving. Many people come here specifically to advance through courses and proceed with PADI Advanced, Rescue Diver, Dive Master/Master Scuba Diver and Instructor courses.

There are so many choices on Koh Tao that you should look carefully at each dive shop and make sure they offer you the best value for money.

Not all dive instructors are the same, and some are downright scary. Likewise, equipment standards can vary, and you’ll want to make sure any shop you choose has quality equipment and maintains it properly and hygienically. You should also check into the insurance policy of the dive shop and enquire as to if you should purchase your own dive insurance for the hyperbaric chamber if you have an accident.

Most the dive operations in Thailand are run by foreigners, which is just as well since Thais have a rather different approach to safety and responsibility, but you’ll find yourself diving with plenty of Thai staff who are their usual friendly easy-going selves.

- Angelo

A good friend of mine is in Africa traveling around with the Peace Corp. She sent out an e-mail with this picture. Definitely made my day for sure. Hakuna Matata in its true essence. Enjoy.

Timon and Pumba

- Angelo

- Sunday

• Green tea is a type of tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan to the Middle East.

• Over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting regular green tea drinkers may have lower chances of heart disease and developing certain types of cancer.

Throughout my life time, I’ve learned a lot of tea as it is my family’s business. Here are some things that are health benefits when drinking green tea:

1. It is used to treat multiple sclerosis.
2. It is used for treatment and prevention of cancer.
3. It is used to stop Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
4. It is used to raise the metabolism and increase fat oxidation.
5. It reduces the risk of heart diseases and heart attacks by reducing the risk of trombosis.
6. It reduces the risk of esophageal cancer.
7. Drinking green tea inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells, reduces the level of cholesterol in blood, improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
8. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular diseases
9. It is used to treat impaired immune function. .
10. Some researches show that, drinking green tea regularly may help prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria which causes the dental plaque.

For me,  it’s a soothing treat when taking a break from a busy or chaotic day. I think of all the leaves in the fields rustling through the wind. It’s the country scenery of it all that gets to me.

Here’s a candid shot of Aunt Akeme day dreaming away during downtime in her cafe this afternoon while enjoying a daily dose of tea.

- Sunday

Sensō-ji, also known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple, is the oldest temple in Tokyo. It was supposed to have been founded in 628 AD, although the current temple was only built in 1958. It is dedicated to Bodhisattva Kannon, otherwise known as Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. It’s one of Tokyo’s most important tourist spots.

Leading up to the temple is Nakamise-dōri, an alleyway packed with shops selling traditional Japanese items such as dolls, toys, combs, sembei (rice crackers), umbrellas, paper wallets, fans, and other omiyage (souvenirs).

Lanterns along Nakamise-dōri

Approaching to Senso-ji Nakamise Dori

The main entrance to the temple of Senso-ji,  Kaminarimon or Thunder Gate. It’s a highly populated tourist and commercial place, yet being the most ancient and sacred temple in Tokyo.

A closer look at the entrance

A look at the ceiling

The Giant Red Lantern

Whole view of the Thunder Gate

Great Urn

Shrine to the Souls of the Dead Children

Night time shot of the Temple

During our visit, we ran into some English learning students from Tokyo University. It was a great learning experience for the both us and them. We conversed over the history of Senso-ji and the shops around the area as they got to practice in speaking with American folk. Before we left we exchanged e-mails so we can become pen pals as they can get more English learning experience as well.

Now it’s time for Senso-ji Redux!

All these shots below were taken by Sunday with her awesome skill. I nickname her the Sassy Sharingun because she has the eye and skill of the professional photographer that she is.

Early morning before the crowds started pouring in.

The street now filled with tourists and visitors.

Getting purified.

At prayer.

Which coins to throw in?

Decorations along Nakamise Dori

The Giant Red Lantern

Hanging shoes from a shop

A Soba noodle maker at work.

A shop vendor.

Shopkeepers

Like any of the trips, we’ll be always adding more pictures and stories.

- Angelo and Sunday

Even though I read so much about the history of Japan, I was frozen in awe whenever we visited a shrine, memorial or historical site during our visit. The Todaiji Temple was one of them. The place was so grand, as well as the statues of Buddha and the Nio Protectors. Their presence had an overwhelming spiritual aura, or at least that is what I believe.  Even though I am not Catholic, I am open and respectful to other beliefs. Definitely one of my favorite historical places I’ve visited in the world so far.

[Daibatsu of Todaiji:

Dimensions of this statue from wikipedia to get the feel how grand it was:

The temple gives the following dimensions for the statue:

• Height: 14.98 m (49.1 ft)
• Face: 5.33 m (17.5 ft)
• Eyes: 1.02 m (3.3 ft)
• Nose: 0.5 m (1.6 ft)
• Ears: 2.54 m (8.3 ft)

The statue weighs 500 tonnes (550 short tons). ]

(One of the Nio Protectors in the temple)

( An amazing shot Sunday took. It gives off the feel of time standing still)

- Angelo

…

We spent the day visiting shrines and temples. We even saw a showcase of the martial arts in Japanese history. We were staying a really nice yet small hotel. When we arrived, we were greeted by the family who owned the place. The owner’s daughter took an immediate liking to SK. She followed us for a while as SK made small chit chat with the girl. She even delivered the towels for our outdoor bath. The baths were gender separated at this hotel so SK and I had to talk through one of the windows along the bamboo walls that was between the baths. I will probably say this again and again, the cherry blossoms in the spring time here Japan is truly breathtaking and beautiful. The moon was starting to glimmer in the sky as is just made the mood more tranquil and ambient than before.

When we were done, he headed downstairs for dinner. The owner’s daughter was there too as she helped one of the servants set the table of us. Food was definitely delicious as it had that ‘home cook’ feeling to the taste. During dinner the girl disappeared for a while. When she came back, she was wearing a kimono. It was the same kimono that SK was wearing. It was cute as she started calling SK Onee-chan. I said to SK that now she has mini version of her. After dinner, the hotel held a small event where they told Japanese folklore in the outside square. While watching, the little girl sat with us. She was definitely a nee-chan to us that evening.

-  Angelo