Finally I was able to make it to Japan!
Pre-Covid Japan was not under my responsibilities so I had no reason to go there. During Covid I could not have, even if I wanted to, because the country imposed a strict lockdown and did not allow any foreigners to visit.
Then, post-Covid, I changed jobs at my firm, which necessitated a visit to Japan, and while visits were still pretty much restricted, after jumping through numerous hoops AND getting another fabulous visa sticker in my passport, I was ready to go! Yay!
Even though I spent most of the time in the office it was fabulous! My hotel was next to the Imperial Gardens so I ran the loop around it 3 times that week. And on Saturday, before I flew out, I was able to take the bullet train to an adjacent city from which we should have been able to see mount Fuji, but it was too cloudy. So we visited some gardens instead.
And the most coincidental thing of all, after no less than 14 years, I reconnected in person with Anke, who currently lives in California, and happened to be there for work the same time!!
It was really fantastic. What a country!
Imperial Gardens
Local sight-seeing
