So about that vacation...
I guess the best way to organize this is to post by the cities we visited, so here we go to Tokyo.
We took the Shinkansen to Tokyo for a couple of days before beginning our New Zealand Adventure. We met Tommy at the airport (hooray! we were all so glad to see him!), and had a chance to do some sightseeing.
On Sunday, we were able to participate in the Mass at Tokyo’s very modern St. Mary’s Cathedral (http://www.tokyo.catholic.jp/eng_frame.html officially, Sekiguchi, or Immaculate Conception of Mary).
After Mass, we had time to walk around the church a bit. The children were impressed with the two-story stable for baby Jesus,
and the Pieta
Photo credit: Tommy
as well as the bust of St. Francis Xavier, who first brought Christianity to Japan. The bust was originally commissioned by one of the Borgias and made its way to Tokyo's sister diocese of Cologne, Germany, which gave it to the Tokyo diocese in honor of that relationship.
Photo credit: Tommy
The architecture definitely isn’t our favorite. One sad effect of World War II is the loss of historic buildings. Tokyo used to have a gothic cathedral. Now they have this modern building that, to us, seemed very cold. Tommy did think the lighting and slope of the roof guided the eye to the altar and upwards.
And they have an impressive pipe organ.
John and I laughed when we discovered later that we had both been mentally painting frescoes on the concrete walls and ceiling. They wouldn't be appropriate to this architecture, I suppose.
Matthew’s comment about the baptismal font:
“Mommy, what’s that broken thing?”
Outside, we enjoyed seeing the carillon
and the Lourdes grotto
As we walked back to the metro, we kicked through piles of bright yellow ginkgo leaves.
Photo credit: Tommy
Although we already had snow in Misawa, it was still autumn in Tokyo, and the fallen leaves were lovely. I thought of Kyle, the son of a friend of a friend in the U.S. whose “Flat Felix” (think Flat Stanley in rabbit form) accompanied us to Tokyo, and picked up a leaf to mail to him along with other Japan souvenirs.
Then we went to the Hotel New Sanno
for Sunday brunch. Yummy, if a bit overwhelming. I don’t think you could begin to sample everything at this sumptuous buffet. Patrick couldn't resist taking a photo of the chocolate cake with gold powder on top.
There were also photos with Santa (a photo showing slightly more enthusiasm for the experience will be mailed to the grandparents) and candy canes.
Then a metro ride to the Imperial Palace.
While we couldn’t get inside the gates that day, we were able to enjoy the gardens and get a sense of the place.
It’s a typical Japanese castle: painted white, wood frame building amid beautiful gardens,
up a long path through several gates.
The surrounding walls, moats,
and gardens are all open to the public now, and they are painstakingly maintained.
Matthew was very impressed with the ducks and swans in the inner moat.
Joseph more impressed with the guards at the gate.
Then back to the New Sanno for a swim, although Matthew hesitated, saying in dismay, “We can’t go swimming without Clairie-dairy-strawberry.” He still has very fond memories of our summer adventures with the cousins in Illinois. He did manage a swim without Claire, and had a wonderful time, although the “hot water bath” (hot tub) was a bit too hot for his little toes.
He and Joseph loved seeing the fountain outside the hotel lit up at night.
After this busy day, we returned to our lodgings at Hardy Barracks to get some sleep before our long flight on Monday and Tuesday.
View from Hardy Barracks
