Friday, January 06, 2012

Riding the Shink


 Shortly after Christmas Tess and I took a trip to Sendai. One reason we wanted to go was less about Sendai and more about the mode of transportation you can use. The new E5 Series Shinkansen, which runs the northern route from Tokyo to Aomori Prefecture at the far tip of Honshu.


We had to change trains at Omiya station, to catch our E5 Hayabusa. This is the newest Shinkansen, and only went into regular service last March, just a few days before the earthquake disrupted the northbound trainlines. 


This new trainset is one of the sleekest yet, and has a top design speed of 320 km/h (299 mph), but currently only runs at 300 km/h (186 mph). This is still fast enough to cover 321 kilometers between Omiya and Sendai in a mere 71 minutes. 


I have always said that the Shinkansen is the only way to travel. For pure speed and comfort, it is just pure bliss on tracks. And the new trains are even better!

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

2011

Tokyo Waterfront


Snow in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture.

 
Plum Blossoms in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture.


Cherry Blossoms in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture.


Rice Paddies in Ishikawa Prefecture


Shibuya, Tokyo


Shirane-san crater, Gunma Prefecture


Starbucks, Insaong shopping street, Seoul.


Candles, Takasaki

Fritz the family dog, Rocky Mountains of Colorado


Garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture

Panda Bear in Ueno Zoo, Tokyo

Panorama, Ikaho Onsen, Gunma Prefecture