This evening is a tough one as some Blocked Memories are flooding back with the news about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.

I am therefore thinking of good memories. In this case memories of my last trip to Japan.

Here are some pictures from my last trip to Japan which were posted on Facebook as Pictures of the Day two years ago.

Here we have hot pot ingredients that are ready to be cooked at a restaurant in Osaka. I always enjoy a good hot pot meal when I am in Japan. In the background you can also see edamame, which is a traditional appetizer.

In Kyoto there is a restaurant district with a maze of small streets lined with restaurants. You can walk by and read the menus or look at food displays to determine where you will eat. In the middle of the picture you see a basket of vegetables. Kyoto is famous for some special varieties of vegetables.

Shall we eat here? It was a bit pricey so we moved on 🙂

Here is the entrance to another small restaurant in Kyoto. I really like this small tree silhouetted against the wall that is lit up. I can just imagine what it looks like in the summer instead of the winter.

I always enjoy Japanese food. See my posts Kyushu Sushi and Yanagi Sushi.

I really like this snow scene at Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto. The structure with the snow covered roof is called the Silver Pavilion. Kyoto is filled with many old temples and pavilions.

Here, the Narukomon Gate is reflected in the inner moat of Nijo Castle in Kyoto.

I really like the reflection of the gate in the still waters of the moat. I really enjoyed my visit to Kyoto and the many historical sites that we visited. This is just a small sample.

I will post a few more pictures during the next couple weeks as I prepare for my next trip to Japan.

Which of the pictures above is your favorite?

Steven