Tama Zoo: The Good

On the bright side, the Tama Zoo has one of the best insectariums and butterfly gardens I've ever seen. The price of admission is worth it for these two attractions themselves. There were a few decent animal enclosures as well--I've put two examples below.

These little guys seemed to have enough space to roam around and it was landscaped nicely. 

The Japanese otters also had a nice habitat to frolic and play in. 

Giant grasshoppers in front of the insectarium

 

 They have an amazing leaf cutter ant farm comprised of multiple terrariums connected by tubes. I could stare at that thing for hours.

 

Cool beetles

 

This praying mantis mimics the orchid

 

More camouflaged insects

 

I think this is a water scorpion

 

Pupas

 

 Ménage à Hop

 The Butterfly Garden

Tama Zoo: The Bad

Despite the rain, I had a fun time at the Tama Zoo this past Saturday. Japanese people don't like hanging out in the rain, so we had the place almost to ourselves. As far as zoos go, Tama is about average. Which is to say, most of the animals live in terrible living conditions that don't even remotely resemble their natural habitats. The photos below are just a sampling.

 Rhino: only a mud hole to pass the time

Lions: Their habitat is more like a large backyard, where a busload of gawkers circles through every 15 minutes.

 

The Japanese macaques spend all day dreaming about being in the trees that surround their playground enclosure. 

 

Bored elephant

 

A mountain goat without a mountain to climb

 

The bear looks hopelessly miserable.

 

"African Safari"

 

Cheetahs with nowhere to run

Kyoto Food & Friends

I had the good fortune to be able to stay with a local family in the Kyoto area. Way more interesting than staying at a hotel as a tourist.

Family dinner

A meal out at a tomato themed restaurant

The family has a tea plantation, which they gave us a tour of.

And finally, I love this photo of Jeremy's parents eating ramen. I like to call Mother's chopstick technique The Spaghetti Method. Daddy shunned them and used his spoon the entire time.

Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is one of Japan's three scenic views. They rank everything in Japan.

I didn't take this photo

This is what it looks like on a map

Some photos I took on the sandbar

Ginkakuji Temple and Heian Jingu Shrine

Visited Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto, which has beautiful gardens and grounds you can walk through.

 

 Wishes at the base of a waterfall

 

View from the top of the trail

 

 Heian Jingu Shrine can be found in downtown Kyoto

 

 Paper wishes tied to a tree

 

A passing wedding procession

 

The main entrance