Ichiban (best) beer

For all our beer enthusiasts (you know who you are), here’s a heads up:Okinawa’s original beer Orion (pronounced O-lee-on), is by far one of the best crisp, clear, mild tasting beers ever. Their simple slogan is: “For Your Happy Time.”The good news is, you can get it in Hickory, North Carolina!So, when we return we…

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Drawing time

Well, we only have two days left here in Japan…we will go to the English speaking congregation’s meeting that Lykins attend today, then just sight see and relax after visiting one more of Nana’s uncle’s here on Okinawa. It feels like we’ve been gone a month, but we look forward to seeing everybody soon. My…

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Tokyo Photo Essay

Well guys, we are back “home” in Okinawa. As awesome as Tokyo is, it sure is nice to get back to the relaxed pace of the island. Tokyo will get you in shape, we walked a TON. You see many, many vespa’s and people of all ages using bicycles to get around. Thought it would…

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Tsukiji Fish Market Insanity

So, we actually got up at 5 A.M. today to go experience the Tsukiji Fish Market in all its insanity…it did not disappoint. It is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind.Here’s a better description found online than I could…

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Mighty Mt. Fuji

We did the bus tour to Mt. Fuji today, started out rainy in Tokyo, but once we got to Mt. Fuji (2 hr drive), the sun came out and gave us some amazing photos of the nearly 12,390 feet tall mammoth. Mt Fuji is by far the highest mountain and volcano in Japan, and lives…

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The Printing Museum (aka, every design/print nerd’s dream)

We visited The Printing Museum in Tokyo today and were blown away by the exhibit and the hands-on printing workshop on the ground floor. Just a beautiful place that inspired us to no end! Here’s some photos of the “Graphic Trial 2008” gallery space and the exhibit for “Japan Design 1950”. A side note: Japan…

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T O K Y O Y O

We are in TKO! Here’s some shots from earlier today. It’s around midnight on tuesday, so this will be somewhat short, as we are ready for rest after walking around downtown Harajuku area and getting squeezed like sardines into subway cars…if you Google Harajuku, some of the colorful folks found in the area are pretty…

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Okinawa panoramic view

Here’s our view from Lykin’s 6th floor apartment in Okinawa. The water to the left is the East China Sea. Both the day and night shots took around 10 shots to create the panorama-rama. Probably too much Photoshop while on vacay, but hope you guys enjoy them. (click to see large image) We head to…

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Ahoy-hoy! Back from Kumejima…

Konbanwa friends, we are back in Okinawa, just returned from 3 hour ferry ride, we’re fresh off the boat. ROUGH first hour, the sea was angry today, but no sea sickies for Nana or I, can’t say the same for poor Miya. She’s back to normal now though. So, wow, Kume was really amazing, where…

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Off to Kume Jima

A note to let all know that we are headed to the home island of Nana’s Obaachan tomorrow!It’s a 3 hour boat ride from Okinawa, we flew last time, so this should be part of the “planes, trains, automobiles and boat” travels. We will be there through Sunday, with no Internet…not even sure they have…

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