One up! Super Mario (who's diet is working wonders) and Princess Daisy take time out of their busy schedule in Mushroom Kingdom to promote a new game in geek haven Akihabara. 

Taking flight. A monument to aircraft at the sight of Japan's first airport. 

Satellite strung up in Koku Koen park. 

Tokyo cityscape as viewed from the tower in Roppongi Hills. 

Roppongi Hills by night. 

The day after my birthday we went to see a Da Vinci Code museum that featured props from the movie and explained what was true and what was invented for the story. 

Coffee Vietnamese style! 

Birthday!! 

Here are a batch of pictures taken before Golden week and making a belated appearance. 

Wood carving outiside a bar. 

Here's me outisde the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo. This shrine is the cause of much international trouble as it houses the remains of several military war criminals who have been elevated to god^like status alongside the revered war dead. The Japanese prime-minister refuses to stop his regular visits and so relations with China in particular are becoming increasingly strained. 

One fo the fierce stone dogs that guard the entry arch. 

A huge golden emperors crest hangs on the entrance door. 

Tribute to mothers 

Japanese WW2 plane. This is the kind that would have been used by the ill-fated Kamikaze pilots 

face 

War memorial. This serence tribute features a silent waterfall inside. 

Hi everyone! I am just at the end of my Golden Week holiday here in Japan. This year I did a few day trips in and around Tokyo, most notably the island of Enoshima which lies about 2 hours away on the train from central Tokyo just next to Kamakura. 

A man gazes on to the throng of people entering Enoshima island's narrow street leading to the temple. 

Steps to Enoshima temple. 

Enoshima buddas. 

Speedboat on the blue sea. 

Solitude. A man on the rocks. 

Kamakura beach. 

A statue for those lost at sea waves on to the island. 

On the road to Enoshima island. The street was lined with these dragon encircled lanterns, in past times the island was said to have contained many of the mythical creatures.