TravBuddy.com: Andy99's Spring in Japan travel blog Copyright 2005 TravBuddy LLC http://www.travbuddy.com/blogs/6307 In March 2005 the McLean Youth Orchestra traveled to Japan to play a joint concert with the Chiba Youth Orchestra. The group stayed in Chiba, visited Tokyo, rode the Shinkansen to Kyoto and toured Kyoto. I was along as a parent/chaperone and found much to enjoy and experience in Japan. The students stayed with Japanese host families while the adults stayed in a hotel in Chiba. We all experienced a ryokan in Kyoto. en-us Sat, 26 Mar 2005 00:33:45 PST Home the Same Day http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Home-the-Same-Day-Chantilly-13 Sat, 26 Mar 2005 00:33:45 PST Home the Same Day Chantilly, Virginia, Mar 26, 2005

The return non-stop flight to Washington is 12 hours, as we have help from the Jetstream. A good deal of this flight is in darkenss. I have ti...

]]> We see Mt. Fuji http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/We-see-Mt-Fuji-Narita-12 Sat, 26 Mar 2005 00:32:09 PST We see Mt. Fuji Narita, Japan, Mar 26, 2005

We're up very early on Saturday morning. At 5:30 a.m. we leave the hotel and make our way in the pre-dawn darkness along the narrow streets of the ...

]]> Kyoto at Leisure http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Kyoto-at-Leisure-Kyoto-11 Fri, 25 Mar 2005 07:53:52 PST Kyoto at Leisure Kyoto, Japan, Mar 25, 2005

The Japanese breakfast served each morning at the ryokan was an immediate hit. It included miso soup, varieties of fish, rice, and a seaweed wafer....

]]> Kyoto Sightseeing http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Kyoto-Sightseeing-Kyoto-10 Thu, 24 Mar 2005 23:45:34 PST Kyoto Sightseeing Kyoto, Japan, Mar 24, 2005

We boarded a tour bus around 8:00 a.m. for a day of organized Kyoto sightseeing. The guide was apprehensive about having a busload of American...

]]> Bullet Train to Kyoto http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Bullet-Train-to-Kyoto-Kyoto-9 Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:02 PST Bullet Train to Kyoto Kyoto, Japan, Mar 23, 2005

Eventually, we did leave the built-up area around Tokyo and enter the countryside. It was a rainy and overcast day, so was probably the best day to...

]]> Leaving Chiba http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Leaving-Chiba-Chiba-7 Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:00 PST Leaving Chiba Chiba, Japan, Mar 23, 2005

Wednesday, and time to leave Chiba. The homestay families brought our students to the hotel where we assembled for a group photo in the park acro...

]]> Ryokan Kohro http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Bullet-Train-to-Kyoto-Kyoto-9 Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:21:06 PST Ryokan Kohro Kyoto, Japan, Mar 23, 2005

Ryokan Kohro is a traditional Japanese-style hotel or inn in old town Kyoto. The rooms are covered with tatami mats and futons are put out each nig...

]]> Tokyo Central http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Tokyo-Central-Tokyo-8 Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:01 PST Tokyo Central Tokyo, Japan, Mar 23, 2005

Arriving at Tokyo Central Station after a 40 minute trip from Chiba, we quickly found the Shinkansen platform. Next, we purchased bento (box l...

]]> School Orchestra Day in Chiba http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/School-Orchestra-Day-in-Chiba-Chiba-6 Tue, 22 Mar 2005 13:25:03 PST School Orchestra Day in Chiba Chiba, Japan, Mar 22, 2005

Following a day of independent sightseeing, parents and students met to visit two local high schools. Along with our Chiba hosts, we visi...

]]> Exploring Tokyo http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Exploring-Tokyo-Tokyo-5 Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:41:02 PST Exploring Tokyo Tokyo, Japan, Mar 21, 2005

Monday was Vernal Equinox Day (shunbun no hi), a national holiday in Japan. While the MYO musicians spent the day with their homestay families, the...

]]> Concert Day in Chiba http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Concert-Day-in-Chiba-Chiba-4 Sun, 20 Mar 2005 00:21:21 PST Concert Day in Chiba Chiba, Japan, Mar 20, 2005

Sunday morning provided our first daytime view of Chiba City. Chiba is a major industrial and port city directly across Tokyo Bay from Tokyo. ...

]]> Mitsui Garden Lalaport Funabashi Hotel Chiba http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Chiba-Japan-3 Sat, 19 Mar 2005 06:45:46 PST Mitsui Garden Lalaport Funabashi Hotel Chiba Chiba, Japan, Mar 19, 2005

Hotel Sun Garden (or Mitsui Garden) afforded an intersting look at a suburban Japanese hotel. It's a Western-style hotel, but is meant for local cl...

]]> Arrival in Chiba http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Arrival-in-Chiba-Narita-2 Sat, 19 Mar 2005 00:20:08 PST Arrival in Chiba Narita, Japan, Mar 19, 2005

After crossing the International Date Line, it was now Saturday afternoon. We sighted the coast of Japan about 3:00 p.m. local time. There was much...

]]> Departure from Dulles http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/6307/Departure-from-Dulles-Chantilly-1 Fri, 18 Mar 2005 07:25:13 PST Departure from Dulles Chantilly, Virginia, Mar 18, 2005

The MYO group gathered at Dulles International Airport at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning. The high-school age students were happy to have an extr...

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