walking, raining, shopping, eating

We (cyrus here, julia too tired to write after walking all day) spent 100% of our day hiking around Tokyo from Aikihabara (electronics　super shopping area) then to Ginza where there was Prada, Gucci, Armani etc. as far as the eye could see.

I am taking lots of pictures, so we should have some good blog fodder upon our return. I may find a way of getting a few out now, but I didnt bring my camera-> laptop cable...

Anyway, we ended up not having Kobe beef last night since the place was already full. we did have a wonderful dinner at a tempura place where they showed us the live shrimp, scallops, and yams (is live appropriate here too?) And we had blue fin tuna sashimi and an amazing rice dish with a fried egg to finish, we had a little sake too. it was fun but we were tired after the long plane ride.

I managed to sleep most of the night, and I think Julia did better sleeping all night, so we are going strong still. We are taking a 1hr pit stop in the hotel and we go out to shabu shabu for dinner tonight. Lorena is really having fun shopping with Julia, the shopping enthusiasm feeds from one to the other and ends up with a whole lotta shopping.

Our loot from today includes 1 beautiful silk kimono, a cashmere scarf, wooden dolls, candies, chopsticks, teeshirt... and this is just day #1. I will be working almost solid from here out till be working almost solid from here out till Friday, but I am excited about hearing what Julia ends up doing. Ｈｅｙ the work is going to be fun too.

Read more...

walking, raining, shopping, eating

We (cyrus here, julia too tired to write after walking all day) spent 100% of our day hiking around Tokyo from Aikihabara (electronics　super shopping area) then to Ginza where there was Prada, Gucci, Armani etc. as far as the eye could see.

I am taking lots of pictures, so we should have some good blog fodder upon our return. I may find a way of getting a few out now, but I didnt bring my camera-> laptop cable...

Anyway, we ended up not having Kobe beef last night since the place was already full. we did have a wonderful dinner at a tempura place where they showed us the live shrimp, scallops, and yams (is live appropriate here too?) And we had blue fin tuna sashimi and an amazing rice dish with a fried egg to finish, we had a little sake too. it was fun but we were tired after the long plane ride.

I managed to sleep most of the night, and I think Julia did better sleeping all night, so we are going strong still. We are taking a 1hr pit stop in the hotel and we go out to shabu shabu for dinner tonight. Lorena is really having fun shopping with Julia, the shopping enthusiasm feeds from one to the other and ends up with a whole lotta shopping.

Our loot from today includes 1 beautiful silk kimono, a cashmere scarf, wooden dolls, candies, chopsticks, teeshirt... and this is just day #1. I will be working almost solid from here out till be working almost solid from here out till Friday, but I am excited about hearing what Julia ends up doing. Ｈｅｙ the work is going to be fun too.

Read more...

3 years ago today...

Well I (Cyrus here) was in Japan 3 years ago today. I was thinking how much my life has changed since that time. I was still working on lithography, but other than that it has been quite a 360 -- I met Julia, got married, bought a house... Wow!

Anyway, I am back in Japan for a visit to one of our fabs, but also a demo & presentation with Hitachi at Semicon Japan. I took Julia along for the ride, she is in charge of shopping and traveling around Tokyo while I work. We are already having a wonderful time. Our hotel in Tokyo is amazingly huge (by local standards) We have a beautiful view of downtown, the river, other buildings. I am taking lots and lots of pictues, hopefully some will make it into our blog once we get home.

We arrived safely last night and had a nice Tempura dinner. Now it is early morning and we are to tour the city (read go shopping, both the HItachi person who traveled here with us and Julia are fanatical shoppers). Then I am off to Aizu to our fab on Monday, meetings with Hitachi in Mito for tues-wed, and presenting at Semicon in Thursday. Julia will be touring the local climes during that time. Then, we head off to Kyoto for a little R&R (no work) on Friday and Sat. Then back to the states on Sunday night.

Read more...

3 years ago today...

Well I (Cyrus here) was in Japan 3 years ago today. I was thinking how much my life has changed since that time. I was still working on lithography, but other than that it has been quite a 360 -- I met Julia, got married, bought a house... Wow!

Anyway, I am back in Japan for a visit to one of our fabs, but also a demo & presentation with Hitachi at Semicon Japan. I took Julia along for the ride, she is in charge of shopping and traveling around Tokyo while I work. We are already having a wonderful time. Our hotel in Tokyo is amazingly huge (by local standards) We have a beautiful view of downtown, the river, other buildings. I am taking lots and lots of pictues, hopefully some will make it into our blog once we get home.

We arrived safely last night and had a nice Tempura dinner. Now it is early morning and we are to tour the city (read go shopping, both the HItachi person who traveled here with us and Julia are fanatical shoppers). Then I am off to Aizu to our fab on Monday, meetings with Hitachi in Mito for tues-wed, and presenting at Semicon in Thursday. Julia will be touring the local climes during that time. Then, we head off to Kyoto for a little R&R (no work) on Friday and Sat. Then back to the states on Sunday night.

Read more...