Japan - second week favorite photos (5)

Taking our leave.  Heading for the plane.

Japan - Day 14 (Saturday)

Heading home.  Feeling a bit homesick the last couple days.  Interesting place, will miss being here.  Many warm memories.

Japan - Day 13 (Friday)

Our back yard, such as it was.

Japan - Day 12 (Thursday)

Interesting discussions.  Had the opportunity to meet some employees at the US Consulate in Osaka in the morning.   Met with employees (managers, really) at Diakin in the afternoon.  Two perspectives on doing business in Japan and internationally. No photos from this day - we couldn't bring phones or cameras to the Consulate, so didn't have either the entire day.

Japan - Day 11 (Wednesday)

There were many tourists here.  Many from countries quite close.

Japan - Day 10 (Tuesday)

Beauty in small corners, small items.

Japan - Day 9 (Monday)

Japan - Day 8 (Sunday)

There is so much that translates to any language.

Japan - Day 7 (Saturday)

History is older here. 

Japan - Day 6 (Friday)

You never know where you'll find a little help.

Japan - Day 5 (Thursday)

Peace.  And donut holes (baked). 

Japan - Day 4 (Wednesday)

Kobe - the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial

Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution

Japan has an amazing ability to handle earthquakes and the aftermath.  There are earthquakes (multiple) every day somewhere in Japan (http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/00000000095.html)

Japan - Day 3 (Tuesday)

Osaka Castle

Tonight dinner will be octopus balls and fancy "pancakes" with shrimp, bacon, and some sort of non-fish seafood....

Japan - Day 2 (Monday)

It was a long day of learning.  Culture, language, food.  Too much tofu.

Japan Day 1 (Saturday/Sunday travel days)

First day in Japan.  Saturday/Sunday were the travel days to Osaka.  We left Minneapolis at about 7:45 or so, and arrived in Osaka about 3:30 local time.  Then it was immigration, customs, gathering our group (16), and taking a bus to a nearby stop.  At the stop, our hosts had us attach huge labels with our names and room numbers, the tags were color coded for our building.  Between the bus stop and the apartments, we ate at a place called Gusto.

Now, the pictures:

Prof. Hardesty, our fearless leader, waiting to board in MSP.

Beautiful sunset as we were taxiing out to the runway

I was told that this is Yosemite Valley

  

First look at Japan - was really cloudy.