平成18年日本旅行

Pagoda at the Asakusa Shrine

My friend Bernard and I have went in Japan for two weeks. We left Ottawa on Saturday, October 28 to be back on Sunday, November 12.

I've been waiting eight years for that trip, since I've started to learn Japanese. I have no idea about what really attracts me to the country, it's language, culture, and people. I'm not a big fan of animation, "j-pop" music, food, but I still like the country anyway.

Bernard's goals in Japan were to buy as many robot figurines as he can, eat as much Japanese food as his stomach can hold, and see as many famous spots possible within 14 days. He was really successful. If you are looking for pictures of spots famous to tourists and a travel log of someone who wrote it while he was there -- and not after, like I'm doing now -- I recommend you read his journal, Useless Communiqué.

My goals were somewhat different. Sure, sightseeing is nice. But I know more people in Japan than I've ever known in Canada, and I intended to meet each and every one of them. That was impossible as they total over 20 people, but at least everyday, I had the privilege to meet one or two friends of mine who I met before in Ottawa or Moncton, or people I've met years before online who I finally met in person. I also love speaking Japanese, and those two weeks were a great immersion. Meeting friends and speaking their language was enough, but I didn't stop there.

This writing is a retrospective of my trip, one of the best moments in my life. I've taken over 2,000 pictures and a few movies, and I offer you to see a selection of them.

Now, you can read the schedule below or skip to the first week.