Looking across the marsh in Ueno at the tall condos behind the park.
As many of our regular readers know, Wayfarer Daves is two photographers named Dave who enjoy writing and travel. Regulars, or those who have read past articles, will also know that we each live on different Japanese islands with very different regular jobs. However, a couple times a year, we meet up and go on a grand adventure. Last time, I went to Sasebo back in May for his wedding. This time, to return the favor, Mr. Krigbaum made the journey up to the Kanto plain to celebrate his birthday. And instead of one grand adventure, we decided to stay close and have a series of smaller adventures. Since I am still buried with processing the massive haul of photos I took, here is a series of mostly unprocessed photos to give everyone a preview of upcoming articles here on Wayfarer Daves.
An A6M2 Model 21 Zero fighter on display at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan. The Model 21 was an early war variant and was the type used at Pearl Harbor.
Dinosaur bones at the National Museum of Nature and Science.
One of the old outer moats of Edo Castle at sunset. The bridge over the moat leads to the New Otani Hotel and Trader Vics – home of amazing food and Tiki drink goodness. We had a long conversation with Roberto, the new bar manager, while we were drinking. The man is an expert in Tiki culture and has probably forgotten more than the both of us Wayfarers combined will ever know.
Hikawa-maru. Originally launched as a passenger and cargo ship, hauling silk and passengers between Yokohama and Seattle. During WWII, she was pressed into service as a hospital ship, making her one of few Japanese ships to survive. Today, she is a museum ship in Yamashita Park, near Chinatown.
Mr. Krigbaum walks down the steps at the entrance to the New Grand Hotel in Yokohama. There is an old photo of Douglas MacArthur walking down these exact steps in Sept. 1st, 1945. The front of the hotel has been remodeled and a larger awning has been installed, so getting the exact position and angle was difficult. Still, it was interesting to stand in the footsteps of history.
The gate to Engaku-ji in Kamakura, one of the top Zen style Buddhist Temples in Japan. It was founded in 1282 in memorial of the troops who fell fighting the Mongols.
Sunset from Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, the huge, famous shrine near Kamakura Station, Kamakura Japan. Walking here, we stumbled into a traditional Japanese wedding being held in the dying sunlight on the shrine grounds.
One of the guns from the wreck of the Japanese Battleship Mutsu. Mutsu was destroyed in an ammunition accident on June 8th, 1943. Mr. Krigbaum is on a mission to find the numerous surviving bits of this fascinating ship.
Battleship Mikasa, flagship of the Imperial Japanese fleet that gave the Russians a sound thrashing at the Battle of Tsushima Strait. She is the last pre-dreadnought battleship left in the world.
And now, it is time for me to go back to work. Between Mr. Krigbaum and I, you will probably see most of the places and items above on here as their own full-sized articles in the future.
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