The land of the rising sun, they call it.

     We didn't see any sunrises in Japan, as our travels there were limited by both time and budget to the west coast of Kyushu, the third largest of the 1000+ islands that make up the country. But even though we covered such a tiny area of a nation about the size of California, and saw only four cities, we got a great taste of Japan's striking balance of its long history and tradition, its cosmopolitan and modern side, and its strong sense of the future. Perhaps overshadowing this cultural balance is the pure natural beauty of the country--something amazing in itself. We had an unforgettable time.

     This page is the gateway to several pages of stories and photos from our five-day summer vacation. You can get to any of them from the links below, or follow a virtual tour from day one through to day five by using the links at the bottom of each page. Click on small photos to see full-size versions, and enjoy...

day one:
Fukuoka / Dazaifu

day two:
Dazaifu / Nagasaki
day three:
Nagasaki
day four:
Nagasaki / Karatsu
day five:
Karatsu / Fukuoka
What the...?
culture shock, Japan


take me back to Tales from Taejon, please