You know you're in Japan when...

...Your toilet has a standby mode!

Visiting the toilet can be quite a dautning prospect out here. Our hotel toilet has several dials and buttons, all of which we've been too afraid to use - it's more like a computer than a toilet!

We arrived in Tokyo two days ago, and it's a huge city. We seemed to drive through its subrubs for hours on our way from the airport. Thankfully getting around has been quite easy - public transport is very efficient. Coping with the language hasn't been to difficult, although when we opened the box of ceral bars we had bought, they turned out to be packets of instant porridge oats!

Yesterday we went to the Tokyo National Museum, which was very impressive, with a general collection of Japanese art and historical artefacts from the entire country. Next we went to Senso-Ji, one of the city's main Budhist Temples, with a "mystical" statue of Kannon dating from 628AD, which annoyingly you're not allowed to see.

After a day of culture, we decided to take a look at the high-tec side of Tokyo, and went to the Sony Building to check out all the latest gadgets. All was well until Craig (being his usual clumsy self) accidentally set off the security alarm and found himself surrounded by staff. Thankfully he hadn't broken anything, as the micro-PC he was playing with, despite being the size of his hand, cost more than his house...

This morning we got the "Hikari Super Express" Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kyoto, where we are now staying for the next few days. The Bullet Train was impressively fast, and also very comfy - lots of legroom. It was also on time, almost to the second - the British train networks could definitely learn from these guys...