Susan's sketchbook log: Japan

 

Last Stop: Tokyo

Hibiya ParkI'll be honest: I wasn't looking forward to Tokyo. And Mt. Fuji being pretty much fogged in as we Shinkasened past it from Nagoya didn't seem auspicious. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find it not nearly as hectic as I had envisioned. Admittedly, I saw more suits in an hour than I've seen in Seattle in the last 10 years, but getting around was easy and many places weren't that crowded.

There were lots of parks and shrines. Hibiya Park (right), strangely enough, had a model of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell. It was Mac Arthur's idea.

Imperial Palace with umbrella blossoms

 

The Imperial Palace grounds provided one of the classic views of the trip. It turned out the building we were all photographing was nothing but a guard gate, so I can only imagine how impressive the real deal must be.

 

It was also pouring rain most of the time, so my plein air time was limited. I painted the roofs down below my 14th floor room. I enjoyed the crazy-quiltness of it -- and the completely undecipherable directions painted on the street.

Can you spot the vending machines? Couldn't leave Japan without including those handy devils.

Luckily from my room, you couldn't see the Starbucks two blocks east and the Tully's two blocks north. Between that and the rain, I knew I was getting close to home.

Sayonara. Arigato gozaimashita.

 

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