On Monday we went to the Japan World Expo Park, which was created for the 1970 World Expo.  The centerpiece of the park is Taiyo no To or "The Tower of the Sun,"a large statue by Taro Okamoto.  The tower is 70 meters in height; its diameter is 20 meters and the base; its wingspan is 25 meters.   

The tower has three faces: two in front and one in back. The golden disk face at the top of the statue, 11 meters in diameter, represents the future.  

The face between the two arms represents the present, and a black face on the rear of the tower is the sun of the past. The jagged red markings on the front of the tower represent lightning.

After walking around the tower we visited the National Folk Museum, which had some interesting exhibits.  I was most interested in the masks.  Here are a few that I photographed...

After lunch we went to the Instant Noodle Museum commemorating the invention of the Cup 'O Noodle.  It was a fascinating way to spend fifteen minutes.  We were each given approximately 30 seconds to decorate our own cup and design our own flavors.  Kasey's expression captures the excitement...

Noodle cups designed, it was off to visit Kyu-An-Ji Temple.  A beautiful place, and we were guided by Hakubun-sensei, the head priest.

Haiku #7

on a verdant pond

petals fall like lucky coins

sinking slowly down