Japan

I recently got back from a trip to Kyoto, Japan. I went there for a conference where I published a paper. It was a fun trip. Our research was received really well, and I was able to see a few sights. Here are some pictures of Japan.

This is the view of Tokyo, where I spent the first night before taking a bullet train to Kyoto. This picture was taken from my hotel window.

In Tokyo, we went to see a temple shrine. A large outer gate led to a large market with lots of shops selling a variety of goods.

Beyond that was a few temples and shrines, like this one. Unfortunately, the main temple was being renovated and was completely covered in plastic sheeting.

The next day in Kyoto, we had one free day before the conference started. We first went and saw Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. It's a cool gold-covered pavilion.
Afterward we walked the Philosopher's Path. It begins at the Silver Temple, shown below with the city of Kyoto in the background. It then proceeds for about a mile along a canal. It goes through the residential areas on the edge of Kyoto, so you get to see the everyday houses and lifestyles of the people. It also passes several other shrines and temples.

The next day we went to the conference. The conference center looks like it was stolen from Star Wars or Star Trek. I felt like I was on another world.

Here I am in front of a poster that displayed my research.

The conference had a reception with some food, and some entertainment in the form of traditional Japanese dances and music.

On my last day in Kyoto, I sneaked away from the conference to see the Nijo Castle. It is a large palace surrounded by huge walls and a moat, with an inner wall and moat inside.

Here I am in the garden area.

Here are some of the inner palaces and residents.

You can walk up some stairs on top of the inner wall at one point, and get a higher view of the complex.

This is the inner wall and moat.