" yay japan all wacky thus "

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boarding the plane, i was not sure what i was going to be in store for. The flight itself was pleasant enough; spacious room, super service, and even a nice pillow/blanket combination that really really just did it.

I suppose the only nag i have with it were these: the air was so dry, my eyes and throat felt like i had landed on the antarctic eating dry ice (thank you high altitude/low humidity), the floor in the bathroom at 3am was wet...why?

don't even want to touch that one, and i had to again go through the usual "hey! I know!! Let’s all pretend like we slept a whole night by dimming the lights at a strange hour, then wake everyone up with hot towels and the smell of breakfast at 6am!!!"

I love that idea.

After we disembarked the plane, we all loaded onto the tour bus. First stop Nagoya castle. Beautiful, ancient structures residing along modern streets. Usually outside, and on the roof, they have a large gilded statue of a dolphin; the symbol of Nagoya. But it has recently been disassembled and reassembled on-site for the expo. Inside, vast amounts of feudal japan emerging in engaging displays. Since it was raining, we all spent about an hour looking around the old grounds.

The next stop was lunch. The tour guide said that the ton katsu at this restaurant, named yabaton, is the most famous restaurant for that dish in all of japan; i had two helpings and it was delicious i tell you.

After that, we spent a couple hours shopping at Nagoya Station, a hub for the JR trains and other connective transits. I didn't buy much of anything, but moreover just people-watched. I always have felt that i have a grasp on feeling out a certain culture just by observing. And although that is one aspect of learning a culture, you also have to engage the people themselves as well. Which i did with many smiles of mutual confusion.

We reached the hotel and rested for a while. The soft rain coming down over Nagoya in a light mist, creating a beautiful halo effect around the streetlamps. After some rest and a shower, we all met on the 30th floor of the hotel, which is the "sky banquet hall" to meat and eat a special dinner with mr. makoto ono, the general manager for toyota’s asia, oceania, and middle east planning division.

He gave the most delightful welcoming speech, and talked about the emphasis of building a new future together. He stressed the further creation of the hybrid car, a vehicle which will continue to cut down the pollution of fuel emissions.

All in all, a very long day (and a half), and i am very much looking forward to "press day" activities at the expo. Until then, keep your eyes open for two little green bushes, the mascots of the expo, to be jumping around the news coming from japan. Smell you later.

ps - the language for this entry and the one to follow will be a little light and tarty, due to the fact that i have to send these to a light and tarty magazine, which is the reason i am here in japan at this time. 555.

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