Ok, because someone actually sat through my photographs on Japan, I realized that I had better expedite a solution on the ambient music problem. A quick Google exercise later and voilà, problem solved. I needed a file host that would retain the file extension on my BGMs, and FileDen.com has proven to be a highly satisfactory solution. Strangely, the files then refused to be streamed under my old coding. It works offline on my computer, but doesn't off my web host. I garner that the host probably lacks support for something technical that I don't understand...and you know I oh so hate to be defeated by technology. I therefore resorted to the not-so-elegant but simple solution of embedding the BGM directly into the HTML code. Although this means that the music won't start with the slideshow, I have found the discrepancy to be negligible after some testing on my own. So, apart from the fact that I'm still 28-years-old on my Web site, I am glad to say that almost everything else has been returned to a state of normalcy.:)

Finally, I have put up the concluding segment to my Japan 2007 extravaganza. And what a trip this was. For some reason, I very easily found myself absorbed into Japan this time round, so much so that I felt forcibly wrenched away when I had to leave. The country has never served as a greater harbor of solace than this time, and I hope this is merely a preamble to future experiences that I will have in this wonderful country. :)

Takayama, Day 2 [高山、二日目]
• Kokubun-ji Temple [国分寺]
• Miyagawa Morning Market [宮川朝市]
• Kusakabe Heritage House (1879) [日下部民芸館]
• Yoshijima House (1907) [吉島家住宅]
  - Kusakabe and Yoshijima are the names of 2 merchant houses that have been kept from the early and mid Meiji periods. Nonetheless, I believe they are kept as representatives of late Edo architecture, from which their designs were presumably based. These houses are amazing demonstrations of how meaningless the Tokugawa class distinctions had become by the end of that era.
• Sakurayama Hachiman-gu Shrine [桜山八幡宮]
• Takayama Festival Float Assembly Area [高山祭屋台会館]
  - The only place to see these famous 3-storey floats unless you're around during festival time.
• Higashiyama Temple Walk [東山遊歩道]
• Shiroyama Park [城山公園]
• Lion Hall [獅子会館]
Inuyama [犬山]
• Tagata Shrine [田縣神社]
  - This shrine pays homage to the male reproductive organ...
• Oogata Shrine [大縣神社]
  - and this to the female's.
• Inuyama Castle (1537) [犬山城]
  - The oldest castle in Japan!
• Haritsuna Shrine [針綱神社]
Nagoya and Adachi Fireworks Festival [名古屋及び足立の花火大会]
• Nagoya Port Italian Village [名古屋港イタリア村]
• 29th Adachi Fireworks Festival [第29回足立の花火大会]
Kagurazaka Awa-odori Festival [神楽坂阿波踊り祭り]
• Kabuki-za [歌舞伎座]
• Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple [築地本願寺]
• St.Luke's Tower [聖路加タワー]
• Kagurazaka Awa-odori Festival [神楽坂阿波踊り祭り]
Asakusa [浅草]
• Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station [東京メトロ浅草駅]
Ueno and Akihabara [上野及び秋葉原]
• The Shitamachi Museum [下町風俗資料館]
• Akihabara [秋葉原]

I'm still working on some timing and music issues with the second half of my 2007 slideshow, so only the beta version is up at the moment. In the meantime, here is the breakdown of where I went to in 2003:

Tokyo [東京]
• Shinjuku [新宿]
Nikko [日光]; This is where the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu WERE.
• Rinno-ji Temple [輪王寺]
• Nikko Toshogu [日光東照宮]
Matsushima [松島]
• Matsushima Bay [松島ベイ]
  - One of Japan's 3 scenic spots.
• Entsu-in Temple [円通院]
Yokohama [横浜]
• Osan-bashi Bridge [大さん橋]
• Yokohama Art and Space NGC6093 Exhibit by Hiro Yamagata
  [ヒロ・ヤマガタの世界NGC6093展示]
Yamagata [山形]
• Yamadera / Risshaku-ji Temple [立石寺]
Matsumoto and Nagano [松本及び長野]
• Matsumoto Castle [松本城]
  - Another famous castle out of Japan's remaining 12 original castles.
• Zenko-ji Temple [善光寺]
Lake Kawaguchi [河口湖]; The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes.
• Mt Fuji 5th Station [富士山五合目]
• Kawaguchiko Music Forest [河口湖オルゴールの森]
• Kawaguchiko Monkey Park [河口湖野猿公園]
Tokyo [東京]
• Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum [江戸東京たてもの園]
  - The sento, or public bath here is Famous for being the inspiration behind that which appeared in Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
• Meiji-jingu [明治神宮]
• Odaiba [お台場]
  - Apart from being a great dating spot as mentioned earlier, I believe that the SEGA World here is the best and biggest in Japan.
• Yasukuni Shrine [靖匡神社]
• Ueno Toshogu [上野東照宮]
  - This is where the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu ARE.

Tokyo [東京]
• Jodo Shinshu Komyo-ji Temple [梅上山光明寺]
• Tokyo Tower [東京タワー]
Shimoda [下田]; This is where Commodore Perry landed in Japan in 1853

• Nesugata Yama [寝姿山]
• Cruise on the Black Ship at Shimoda Port [遊覧船サスケハナ号のクルーズ]
• Gyokusen-ji Temple and Harris Memorial Hall [玉泉寺/ハリス記念館]
• Cape Tsumekizaki [爪木崎]
• Tojin Okichi Memorial Hall [唐人お吉記念館]
• Pension White House [ホワイトハウス]
Hakone, Day 1 [箱根、一日目]
• Moto-Hakone [元箱根]
• Hakone Shrine [箱根神社]
• Hakone Sightseeing Boat to Hakone Machi [箱根海賊船、箱根町まで]
Hakone, Day 2 [箱根、二日目]
• Hatajuku [畑宿]
• Old Tokaido Highway for Moto-Hakone [箱根旧街道、元箱根まで]
• Hakone Checkpoint [箱根関所]
• Hakone Sightseeing Boat to Togendai [箱根海賊船、桃源台まで]
• Owakudani Nature Trail [涌谷自然研究路]
• Hakone Begonia Garden [箱根ベゴニア園]
Takayama, Day 1 [高山、一日目]
• Odawara Castle [小田原城]
• Takayama Jinya [高山陣屋]
  - The last remaining Tokugawa shogunate local administrative office.
  
• Hida Minzoku Archeology Museum [飛騨民族考古館]
• Old Private Houses Street [古い町並]
Shirakawago [白川郷]; UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site where many Gassho-zukuri are located.

• Myozen-ji Temple Museum [明善寺郷土館]
• Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine [白川八幡神社]
• Doburoku Festival Museum [どぶろく祭りの館]
• Ogimachi Castle Ruins Site Observatory [荻町城跡展望台]
• Wada House [国重文和田家]
• The Heritage Museum [合掌造り民家園]

It occurred to me that it would be difficult for people to quickly figure out exactly where I've been from just the travel route and the slideshow. This has prompted me to begin a more extensive list on each slideshow page of the (mostly) temples, shrines, and museums that were a part of my jaunts out into the Japanese wilderness. The easiest for me to do were the 2004 sets, which is why they have been updated first. I was actually surprised to realize that my pictures of Ise Shrine were so limited! There was only the Naiku, and I hadn't even posted any shots of the main hall! Hmm, I must have been thinking of integrating that together with the 2004/2005 shots of Ise, when I spent the New Year there on my own hatsumode. Well, when I get around to doing it anyway. In the meantime, here are the breakdowns of my 2004a trip in the Kansai and Kanto regions:

Tokyo [東京]
• Tokyo Metropolitan Building [東京都庁]
  - There's a free observatory here, unlike in Roppongi or at Tokyo Tower.
  
Hakone [箱根]
• The Hakone Open-Air Museum [彫刻の森美術館]
• Hakone Ropeway Owakudani Station [箱根ロープウェイ大涌谷駅]
Asuka [飛鳥]
• Kashiwara Shrine (1890) [橿原神宮]
  - This is the speculated burial site of the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu Tenno, and was built during the mid-Meiji period
     to legitimize imperial rule.
• Asuka Temple (596) [飛鳥寺]
  - This temple houses the oldest bronze Buddha in Japan.
• Kame-ishi [亀石]
• Saru-ishi {Monkey Rocks} [猿石]
Ise [伊勢]
• Ise Grand Shrine Naiku [伊勢神宮・内宮]
  - The most important, but not the oldest shrine in Japan.
  
• Futami Okitama Shrine [二見興玉神社]
  - Famous for the Lover's Rocks that represent the ill-fated lovers Izanagi and Izanami.
  
Arashiyama [嵐山]
• Kokuzou Hourin-ji Temple [虚空蔵法輪寺]
• Tenryu-ji Temple (1339) Entrance [天龍寺]
• Nono-miya Shrine [野宮神社]
  - Famous for being mentioned in the Tale of Genji,as well as being the training grounds for future Grand Priestesses at
    Ise.
  
• Daikaku-ji Temple (824) [大覚寺]
  - This was the detached Palace of Emperor Saga (809-823).
  
Tokyo [東京]
• Edo-Tokyo Museum [江戸東京博物館]
Hiraizumi [平泉]; This was the former cultural capital of Japan during the height of Fujiwara rule.
• Moutsu-ji Temple (850) [毛越寺]
• Chuson-ji Temple [中尊寺]
Roppongi [六本木]
• Roppongi Hills Mori Tower [六本木ヒルズ森タワー]

and 2004b that was centered in Wakayama Prefecture (the map doesn't actually detail Minabe and Kainan because there were stops on the way to the Nanba area in Osaka from Kushimoto):

Wakayama City and Shirahama [和歌山市、白浜]
• Wakayama Castle [和歌山城]
• Tore Tore Fish Wholesale Market [とれとれ市場]
• Engetsu-jima Island [円月島]
• Senjyoujiki [千畳敷]
• Sandanheki-doukutsu Cave [三段壁洞窟]
• Hashigui-iwa Rock {Bridge Pillar} [橋杭岩]
Nachi, Kushimoto, and Tachi [那智、串本、太地]
• Katsuura-gyoku Fishing Harbor [勝浦漁港]
• Nachi-taki Waterfall and Hiryu Shrine [那智滝・飛瀧神社・熊野那智大社別宮]
• Kushimoto Marine Park [串本海中公園]
• Tachi Whale Seaside Park [太地くじら浜公園]
Minabe, Kainan, and Osaka City [南部、海南、大阪市]
• Kishu Bicho-tan Charcoal Promotion Center [紀州備長炭紀州振興館]
• Kuroshio Fish Wholesale Market [黒潮市場]
• Houzen-ji Temple [法善寺]
• Dotonbori [道頓堀]
• Shinsaibashi [新斎橋]

I was reading about my friend's post about how crappy the fireworks at the National Day Parade were (I mean seriously, if individual wards throughout Japan can have 2 hour long shows each for a month, why can't we have ONE that lasts more than 10 minutes??), and his post reminded me that there is something called YouTube. So, for anyone who wishes to do the search, which must be done in Japanese, here's some help. Go to this Fireworks Festival guide, and you'll be able to view all the different festivals be region. Once you find a particular one that you wish to view, such as 隅田川花火大会, or 足立花火大会, which is the one I went, just enter it in YouTube to be blown away. I mean seriously, they don't just fire those big round ones; The Japanese really put some creative thought into their choreography.

I'm too stupid (at the moment, hehe) to embed a video, so here are links for some of the what I think are the better posts of the Sumida fireworks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKD7IcFqMWQ
(The beginning of this video shows the display by the winner of a fireworks contest that took place at one of the two viewing locations; it is supposed to be in honor of a Japanese ice skater, and the bursts are meant to reflect her grace as well as the sport itself).

and the Adachi one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOd3a8wsDBU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyYJLe6HyLs

Finally, an advertisement for my own photos from NDP 2007, posted on flickr. Considering that the "moment that everyone has been waiting for" lasted less than the time needed for a toilet break, I think I did pretty well here. :)

Many people with whom I have discussed Japan with usually end up asking me for some travel tips. Since Japan is my favorite country, and the country and its people have given me a lot of goodwill over the years, I am always delighted to share my travel experiences. This is why I have that map detailing my travel routes in every slideshow page. The route isn't always the most efficient - if I am using a rail pass, I will try to maximize my use of the shinkansen, which results in what you see in my 2003 trip, where I headquartered myself in Tokyo. However, if you look at my 2007 route, it is much more expedient because I wasn't traveling on a rail pass. Furthermore, with age catching up, I prefer to have more leisurely tours, which means that I now try to stay over at each location, rather than to have a static base camp. The "trick" here is to always start and end at the same hotel, since this lets you leave your heavy luggage in that place while you run off elsewhere with just an overnight bag. This I can either dump in a locker if I'm not headed straight to my next overnight destination, or leave at the hotel if I am.

Anyway, I was playing with the idea of posting my itineraries online, but I've realized how I'm probably the only one in the world who can read them. In fact, since I go to Japan every year, I plan less and less ahead each time, leaving huge gaps in my schedules that I flesh out only on the night prior, or on one of those long haul train journeys. The only things that I still spell out with care are my hotels for each day, and the important train connections that I need to make. While this inadvertently leads to gargantuan mistakes sometimes (ok, maybe not so big eh?), the beauty of Japan is that there is always enough information at hand for damage control, no problem; you just need to know the system, and since Japan is a by-the-book country, this will allow you to get by easily with no overt surprises. And, just so you know how I skimmed on my itinerary this time, this is the exact printout that I had with me, mistakes and all (some of these didn't even make sense to me when I looked it over in Japan, haha):

Depart
18th (Wed) [東京到着] 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500

19th (Thur) [下田] 下田に泊まる {2時間44分} ペンション　ホワイトハウス＜静岡県＞ 1800, Y8,925
東京 (↓東海道本線/伊東線/伊急行線) 伊豆急下田 09:00発 11:44着 Y1,570

20th (Fri) 箱根に泊まる {3時間33分} 箱根湯本温泉　箱根水明荘　別館ポサーダ Y7,245
伊豆急下田 (↓伊急行線/伊東線/東海道本線) 東京 09:00発 11:49着 [2 hrs 49 mins] Y1,570
東京 新宿
新宿 (↓小田原線急行) 小田原 12:41発 14:15着 [1 hr 34 mins] Y850
小田原 （1分） (↓箱根登山鉄道線) 箱根湯本 14:16発 14:31着[15 mins] Y300

21th (Sat) 箱根に泊まる 箱根湯本温泉　箱根水明荘　別館ポサーダ Y8,295

22nd (Sun) 高山に泊まる {5 hrs 58 min} 飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ 1700, Y8,300 Rail Pass here
箱根湯本 (↓箱根登山鉄道線) 小田原 [12 mins]
小田原 （10分） (↓ひかり365号) 名古屋; 09:10発 10:22着 [1 hr 12 mins] Y4940
名古屋 （12分） (↓東海道本線（熱海－米原）) 岐阜 [28分] Y450
岐阜 （35分） (↓高山本線（岐阜－角川）) 高山 [3 hrs 9 mins] Y2520

23rd (Mon) 高山に泊まる 飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ, Y6,300

24th (Tue) 高山に泊まる  飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ, Y6,300
高山 (↓農飛バス) 白川郷

25th (Wed) 名古屋に泊まる コンフォートホテル名古屋チヨダ Y5,670
高山 (↓高山本線（岐阜－角川）) 岐阜 [3 hrs 9 mins] 10:31発 13:40着 Y2520
岐阜 （12分） (↓東海道本線（熱海－米原）) 名古屋 [28 mins] 13:52発 14:20着 Y450

26th (Thu) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
名古屋 （22分） (↓ひかり412号) 東京 [1 hr 45 mins]; 13:13発 15:13着 Y10,780

27th (Fri) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
Tokyo

28th (Sat) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
Tokyo (fireworks)

Departure on 29th
Flea market

うん、前回日本へ行ったのは今回から1年分の差があるので、色々な社会にある変化をちゃんと感じられました。一番大きな変化は、外国人の人数ですね。 どちらでもいることで大変びっくりしました。例えば、飛騨地域には、普通のは日本人より、外国人のほうが多いということなんですね。観光地なので当たり前かもしれませんが、日本人は主に国内に旅行するのではないでしょうか？とにかく、高山公園という丘の頂上に、そのような行きにくいところでも二人アメリカ人がいました。また、夜になって、写真を撮るために古い町並へ行っても、外国人ばっかりでしたね。す~~ごい！そして、一番"大変"なのはやっぱり箱根ですね。どこでも、中国語と広東語だけでした。正直に、このような事情で少しがっかりしていますね。別に偏見があるというわけではないんですが。日本へ行くことが好きな一つの理由は、普通より異常の社会に入れるということです。私にとって、それがリラックスできる環境ですね。しかし、今は日本もうシンガポールと一緒になっちゃったなぁ。こちらも、中国人ばかりという感じですね。で、今日常生活に英語だけで交流できれば、もう生きにくくなってしまいました。喫茶店等には中国語ばかりの店員しかいないという情況は普及になってきますので。あぁ、なぜ去年と比べると、外国人の人数はこんなに増えてきたかな。

ま、それ以外、ICカードの導入の速さにもびっくりしました。私もSUICAカードを買いました。PASMOは一応売っていないので。というのは、どうしてPASMOはそんなに人気ですか。SUICAとPASMOは相互に使えるのではないでしょうか？

箱根なんですが。もう行かいと思います。いつも箱根に行くとすごくアンラッキーですよ。2年前ですね、箱根へ行った時、箱根ロープウェイ大涌谷駅に届いてから、台風でロープウェイの運転が停止されました。そこで、伊豆バスでホテルに帰らなきゃいけませんでした。今回は同じ大涌谷駅にいた時、風でフリーパスはポケットから飛んでしまいました。そこで、もう一度伊豆バスで帰らなきゃいけませんでした。更に、梅雨期なので、富士山を始め、まるで手前150メートルしか見られない情況もうありました。もうけっこうですね。(笑)

今回の旅では、よく歴史的なところへ行くことにしました。大学にもう2回日本史の授業を担当したので、興味深いですね。下田はペリーが着陸した場所だし、箱根は箱根関所があるし、高山は日本伝統的な合掌造くりがあるし、名古屋は日本の一番古い犬山城があるので、見に行きました。残念なのは、時間が足りないので、名古屋の明治村へ行けませんでした。外国人は、多分時代劇を見すぎたので、明治時代の日本はヨーロッパ風の建物がたくさんあっとことをあまり知りません。あ、また、今回は初めて夏に日本にいるので、花火大会も旅行のハイライトになりました。ま、足立花火大会しか行きませんでしたが。実は、隅田川花火大会も行きたかったが、浅草まで行ってから、大勢な人で、あきれめました。更に、友達も「気を付けて」、「電車で帰られないかも」、「危ない」という話で、結局テレビで見てしまいました。(笑)

あちこちへ行っても、ずっと博物館等にいたので、色々な場所の名物をあまり食べませんでしたね。えっと、白川郷にいた時、どぶろくという特別なお酒を飲みました。神社だけ作ったお酒そうです。私が甘い酒が好きなので、美味しいだと思いました。それ以外、高山にいた時、飛騨牛と朴葉味噌。飛騨牛は普通の牛肉よりもっと甘いかなぁ。朴葉味噌ではとっても美味しかった。その葉は枯れ葉みたいので、食べた時自分はパンダという不思議な感じなんです。葉といえば、実は食べられるかなぁ。

日本へ行く目的ですね。実は、今回日本へ行って、本当に急に決めたことです。元彼女(うん、5月1日に別れちゃった)と一緒に行く予定があったので、行く気持が全然ありませんでした。でも、ホームページにある写真帳を用意した
時、大変懐かしかったです。6年間前から、毎年せめて一回日本へ行くので、今年行かないととても残念だと思いました。 そして、行く前の気分により、旅行した時、意識しないよう、あることに気が付けました。例えば、ダブルルームの泊まり、バスや電車に乗る

時側の空席、箱根まで小田急ロマンスカーの乗車(馬鹿じゃない？乗車券を買う時も、店員は「一人だけ？」と聞いた)、そして、信じられないが、元彼女と同じ名前の店の発見、このような時いつも何かがいないかなと感じました。しかし、意外には、日本に一人なんですが、全然寂しくなかった。自分で挨拶できないので、葉書は4枚近畿と中国地方にいる友達に送りました。そのあと、皆さんからのメールは次々に届いて、本当に感動しました。考えるみると、外国に皆さんのような親しい友達がいて、少し不思議なんですね。皆さんの友情をいただいて、どうもどうもありがとうございました。

いつもいつもそうなんですが、今回日本の旅で気分が本当に回復したと思います。足腰は多分賛成しないんですが、行く前よりもっと若くなってきたという気持です。今もう、来年日本へ行くことを考えています。(^_^)

This posting is actually about my trip to Japan in 2007. And, in the fine tradition of things that get translated from Japanese to English, what follows is the English version:

Wow, this was a really great trip! I can't wait to go again next year. :)

This post is kind of overdue because for some reason, Spaces won't let me publish - the button just hasn't deemed to make itself clickable. So, as with most other things, I find myself experimenting with new software, in this case Windows Live Writer, to get this done. It's been strange really, how things have been falling apart around me. And yet, having served as the catalysts for me to move on, they have not been without their benefits. Always look for the silver lining I say, and it always does exist. It's just a matter of perspective.

Well, over the last couple of days, I have redone the album for 2005 that centered around Hiroshima, and uploaded my Hokkaido pictures. For Hiroshima, I decided to include the pictures while I was interning at Hiroshima Gas in 2001. These were an odd array of pictures that mostly featured those others who had gone with me, and would thus have been unusable by themselves. The Hiroshima album was certainly an interesting one to put together...I was able to reflect on my days as an undergraduate, when life was certainly a lot simpler. Anyway, I should add that most of the Hiroshima Peace Park pictures were taken by my friends Jyo and Yonutsu since I had gone off to do some fieldwork at the company where I had interned instead. Once again, you will not see either of these people prominently (Jyo-san doesn appear here and there in the background) because I have opted not to post my friends' images out of respect for their privacy.

The same thing goes for the Hokkaido pictures. I have no excuses here regarding shot selection - Jyo-san's pictures were simply much better compositions, and so I defer to his masterful captures of the barren Hokkaido winter landscape. The one thing that I would like to mention is that the travel route included doesn't exactly follow a linear chronological order, since the Sapporo jaunts were split over 2 days. Thus, the university and beer garden session took place on the first day, followed by the trip to Jozankei, before we return again to the Shiroi Koibito Park and Old Governor's Office.

I'm not sure exactly what to put up next at the moment, since the tons of pictures I still have are all over the place, and I don't really want to clutter the multimedia page with too many small albums. At the moment, I'm thinking of folding my Koya-san pics into the 2004 Wakayama album, and of creating a Kyoto album, and maybe and Ise-shima and Nara album. In any case, I really need to get some work done, so I think that all shall remain as is for the present time.