My name is Yvette McPhail, from the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia. Preparing this report gave me an opportunity to revisit my snap shots of Sendai and the surrounding areas, Tokyo, Nikko and the wonderful people I met during my stay. My visit was a comparatively short one- one month, however I managed to squeeze in many sights and experiences, (also working on my research, of course!), that I will never forget. Japan is a visually stunning country and the people are, I believe, its best resource. I have included some shots that represent some dear memories of my stay.

Some of the international research group present at the time of my visit. (I am the female in the middle).		This is a temple at Kitta Sendai. The snow was something I had only seen once before, so it was a real treat. The temples were fascinating.
I traveled to Nikko for the day and was intrigued by the beautiful temples in such a tranquil setting. This is the famous 'Three wise monkeys' carving.		I also was fortunate to visit Tokyo on the Shinkansen. I believe this is in Shinjuku. I was overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of such a busy, vibrant city. I loved Tokyo!