I attended the 7th Japanese-American Frontiers of Science (JaFoS) Conference organized by the National Academy of Science and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. The conference was held at the Shonan Village Center near Hayama. We could look out on Mt Fuji across the bay.

Me and Fuji-san at dawn.

After the conference, my friend Dr Hisashi Ozawa took me to enjoy tea in the tranquil setting of the Jyomyoji Temple in Kamakura

As we sipped our macha, we could contemplate the temple's rock garden. A carefully-arranged bamboo pipe dripped water into a bucket, to highlight the silence.

Kamakura is famous for its giant bronze Buddha. In this self-portrait, I have clearly not attained the full enlightenment enjoyed by the Buddha.

Images (c) Ralph Lorenz