Science! Psuedo-science! Nature! Art! Nonsense!
October 29, 2026
art, travel, wedding ferry, honeymoon, inland sea, japan, moonrise, naoshima, seto bridge, sunset 1 Comment
Naoshima goodbye.
The red pumpkin wore the first yellow light of sunset as the ferry pulled away from port. And we were off. Sunset over the inland sea was amazing.
Watch the sunset and the sunrise at the same time.
Finally the sun disappears below the horizon.
And the red turns up high over the Seto bridge.
Moonrise
And our day of art was complete.
October 29, 2026
art, travel, wedding art, ferry, honeymoon, japan, naoshima, red pumpkin, romey, yayoi, yayoi kusama 4 Comments
After the yellow pumpkin, we were slated to see Minamidera so we headed back into “town” and had some espresso and ice cream. Minamidera was cool, but not as profound as it could have been if you had not spent some time in actually pitch black caves as a boy like I did. Yeah yeah, pupils are amazing.
After Minamidera we headed back to the port to see the red pumpkin, have a cocktail, and wait for the ferry.
You can go in the red pumpkin.
Our last view of Naoshima included the red pumpkin.
October 29, 2026
art, travel, wedding art, honeymoon, honeymoon kiss, japan, naoshima, taxi, yayoi, yayoi kusama, yellow punpkin 3 Comments
The yellow pumpkin.
Honeymoon kiss.
We had some fun at the yellow pumpkin.
Yoshi got involved.
And yes, it was crazy.
<– PREVIOUS (chichu) — NEXT (red pumpkin) –>
October 29, 2026
art, travel, wedding ando, architecture, art, brutalism, cafe, chichu, honeymoon, japan, monet, naoshima, turrel 3 Comments
One of the main targets of everyone visiting Naoshima is the Chichu house, an impressive brutalist architectural monster housing a handful of art. Pictures are not allowed…which honestly is very shortsighted. But there you are. Make the trip.
Four artists, less than twenty works. But displayed with deep thought and verve.
The Monet room is particularly striking.
But my favorite is the James Turrel piece open sky. Echoes of Magritte and Escher are particularly striking, because you are inside them.
Timed entry does little to abate the crowded nature of the space. Avoid the crowds by doing things in your own order. We had some rooms almost entirely to ourselves by going around in circles. We met some fun people in the long lines.
Lunch at the cafe is a must. Go early to get a seat by the big windows.
If you look closely, you can see Romey through the window here on the left. Hi Romey!
Two hours is plenty for a detailed visit and lunch.
And then you are back on the road/garden walk to the parking lot. The gardens are hyped up as a Monet masterpiece. Mmmm hmm. Monet probably did not do roads. But there is tranquility to be found despite the very real crowds.
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October 27, 2026
travel marine liner, okayama, seto bridge, sunset, takamatsu, video Leave a comment
We boarded at Okayama. Here is way too much video footage from the train across the Seto bridge and arriving at Takamatsu. Though we are not train buffs, per se, this train trip was extremely cool. We timed our train for sunset.
October 27, 2026
travel bento box, honeymoon, marine liner, odawara, shinkansen, train porn, video 1 Comment
On our big travel day. we went from Hakone (Gora) to Takamatsu using 5 different vehicles: 2 taxis at either end, 2 shuinkansen trains, and the marine liner across the Seto bridge. Here are some details.
The shinkansen trains (bullet trains) are truly fast. And they all have names. Some are longer, and some are newer. All are super easy to reserve using the JR app. Once you are in Japan you can get a Suica card so you can associate the IC with your tickets and use the blapper system to board and de-board.
Most of the big train stations have a massive food court in the basement where you can buy mystery bento boxes. That’s the way most people do it. Bring a box and some sake.
If you set up your seats properly, you can catch a view of Mount Fuji on some routes. Here is naked Fuji.
Here is what a bento box looks like when it is being disassembled.
In Odawara, we also bought a bunch of extremely local gewgaws by accident. These included local ale, sour mini plums, very crunchy french fry looking things, and mango pudding. Picking stuff out is often really fun.
Here is an informative sign describing a delay.
While awaiting the marine liner, this group of school kids appeared.
Speaking of the marine liner, make sure to reserve row 1 on the first car so you can watch the conductor drive out the front window. You can do the same thing on the way out…looking backwards.
October 26, 2026
nature, travel gora, hakone, honeymoon, land of the rising sun, onsen, sunrise 1 Comment
Getting up early in Gora can be worth it. Watch the sunrise in the land of the rising sun.
Twilight.
Early onsen
And up she comes
Morning has broken
October 26, 2026
art, travel art, cathedral, hakone, honeymoon, japan, lille, open air museum, sculpture, white pumpkin, yayoi, yayoi kusama 1 Comment
Through the looking glass, into a world of art.
We made our way to the Lille Cathedral first thing before the buses arrived.
And then we arrived, in perfect morning light, to a tower just for us.
Well, there were three business guys who played through, stopping just long enough to take some pictures of us.
Another UFO
And then back down in the light.
We skipped Picasso and went straight to Yayoi-land.
Time for some coffee at Tomo’s Truck
Peace and birdsong
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A stunning day
Something fishy
.
Icarus at the top of the stairs
Digital water
.
Alignment
Chagal? No Lille! Same striking blue.
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One of the highlights of our trip.
October 26, 2026
travel honeymoon, japan, more tower, sunset, tokyo, tokyo tower Leave a comment
A visit to the Mori Tower at sunset is a Tokyo highlight. Watching the red lights blink on from the 54th floor is magical. Bring your own soundtrack so you can block out the loop. I listened to Phillip Glass piano works.
The Tokyo Tower (we are the first people to ever take a picture from up here…for sure).
As the sun began to set, we moved around back and secured a bench,
Romey was patient with me.
Lets unroll the sunset in 11 frames:
Fin
On go the lights
October 26, 2026
travel architecture, buildings, ginza, hamariku, honeymoon, japan, pedestrian, shibuya crossing, tokyo, tokyo tower Leave a comment
Walking down from Maiji Jingu first thing into the morning toward Shibuya Crossing is something not to miss—from Empress koi ponds straight to olympic architecture. The crowds grow as you move closer to Hachikō (eternally waiting in bronze).
Not there yet…
Here we are. First person view. The three-thousand person scramble.
Static.
More street views from Tokyo.
Outside of Ginza under the bridge—approaching a Krispy Kreme. Because of course there is a Krispy Kreme in Ginza, and you should skip it!
Views from Hamariku.
Walking towards Ginza can be accomplished on multiple planes.
Ginza
A pedestrian tunnel of trees.
The Tokyo tower.
