Rise and shine it was time for our flight to Tokyo. Two groups of 100 educators boarded United Airlines in our aniticipation of being immersed into a diffferent culture. The flight seem to fly by as we all anxiously chattered about our upcoming events. We will landed in Tokyo the first noticeable difference was the heat. It was spring there and the temperatures had all of us perspiring. We smiled as saw small compact cars speed down what we called "The wrong side of the road." Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city. Tokyo is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures. It is home to more than 12 million Japanese people.
The luxurious Tokyo Prince Hotel housed our American delegation. It was centrally located in the heart of Tokyo. It was adjacent to the Zojoji Temple and the Tokyo Tower. One of the first things we learned was that our hotel had a very modern westernized toliet that included a heated seat, a built-in shower and dryer.
Within walking distance of our hotel was the famous Tokyo Tower. With 333 meters, Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, and the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. It was built 1958 as a symbol for Japan's rebirth as a major economic power. Currently it serves as a television and radio broadcast antenna and tourist attraction you can ascend to the main observatory at 150 meters and the special observatory at 250 meters to get a bird's eye view of Tokyo. If you are lucky on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji in the distance. The lower levels house souveiner shops and a food court home to the Golden Arches-McDonalds and Baskins Robbins.
Next door to the Tokyo Prince Hotel was the serene and peaceful Zojoji Temple. It was built in the year 1393, and was moved to its present location in 1598. It is the main temple of the Buddhist Jodo sect in the Kanto area. In 1590, the Zojoji Temple became the Tokugawa family temple and a masoleum of the Tokugawa family can be found on the temple grounds.
The lushious green manicured lawn, trees and bushes are a lasting tribute to traditional Japanese gardening. The Zojoji Temple and it's grounds was one of the most picturequse scenes in Tokyo for me. If you observe closley you will see that the crest of the Tokugawa family still decorates the temple buildings. Traditionally in Japan, all temples have elaborate and detailed gates at their main entrances. The Zojoji's main gate is the Sangedatsumon. It was constructed in 1605 in a contemporary Chinese Tang Dynasty style. I witnessed many Japanese people break their fast pace stride to take a moment of revence and bow to the gate.
The luxurious Tokyo Prince Hotel housed our American delegation. It was centrally located in the heart of Tokyo. It was adjacent to the Zojoji Temple and the Tokyo Tower. One of the first things we learned was that our hotel had a very modern westernized toliet that included a heated seat, a built-in shower and dryer.
Within walking distance of our hotel was the famous Tokyo Tower. With 333 meters, Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, and the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. It was built 1958 as a symbol for Japan's rebirth as a major economic power. Currently it serves as a television and radio broadcast antenna and tourist attraction you can ascend to the main observatory at 150 meters and the special observatory at 250 meters to get a bird's eye view of Tokyo. If you are lucky on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji in the distance. The lower levels house souveiner shops and a food court home to the Golden Arches-McDonalds and Baskins Robbins.
Next door to the Tokyo Prince Hotel was the serene and peaceful Zojoji Temple. It was built in the year 1393, and was moved to its present location in 1598. It is the main temple of the Buddhist Jodo sect in the Kanto area. In 1590, the Zojoji Temple became the Tokugawa family temple and a masoleum of the Tokugawa family can be found on the temple grounds.
The lushious green manicured lawn, trees and bushes are a lasting tribute to traditional Japanese gardening. The Zojoji Temple and it's grounds was one of the most picturequse scenes in Tokyo for me. If you observe closley you will see that the crest of the Tokugawa family still decorates the temple buildings. Traditionally in Japan, all temples have elaborate and detailed gates at their main entrances. The Zojoji's main gate is the Sangedatsumon. It was constructed in 1605 in a contemporary Chinese Tang Dynasty style. I witnessed many Japanese people break their fast pace stride to take a moment of revence and bow to the gate.
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