Toyko

I am on reserve in July.  This means that I don't
choose where I fly, the company sends me where they need me.It seems that Narita, Japan is my official holiday destination.  This is a very senior trip, and I am very junior, at least with the company.  That means that I don't get to go there very often.  I hadn't been there since last Thanksgiving Day, and I was assigned the trip again on Independence Day.  Neither day is a big event in Japan, but you lose it anyway when crossing the international dateline.

I flew with Monica, a flight attendant that I had never met before, and I liked her instantly.  A thirteen hour flight gives you ample time to get to know a person better. She was going into town, after we landed, to look for some Japanese clothing for her young grandaughter.  I asked to tag along, so we headed into Narita together to do some shopping and get some dinner.

Narita is a beautiful little town, with a lively business district. The main street is easy to get to, and very interesting to walk down and explore.

The entrance to the Narita Cemetery is on the main street,

with beautiful monument

and well attended and

honored ancestors.

The thing I really enjoy the most about Japan is the appreciation for aesthetics.

The Japanese
 bring a
creativity,a
sense
of design,
proportion,
and beauty to
every task.

Everywhere you look
on the street, there is
a fountain, a plant, a
statue or display,




















creating
something beautiful
to enhance the area.

We saw many school children on their way home.  These little girls were delightful to watch.

We found an adorable outfit for Monica's grandaughter, then stopped at the noodle shop for dinner. I loved this artfully 

trained tree.  I guess it is a bonsai, even though it is larger than

most I have seen.

Before we left the next day, I walked through the beautiful
garden and around the koi pond at our hotel.  There was a
low mist and a mystical feel to the morning.  

Maybe I will be back again on Thanksgiving.  I hope so.