May 23rd
May 23rd
Daily Flight Information:
The World Flight is in Tokyo, Japan making necessary repairs and conducting preventative maintenance on their aircraft before continuing to Kushimoto, Japan, the next scheduled stop.
Japanese mechanics inspect the engine of one of the World Cruisers during one of the round-the-world aerial expedition’s six stops in Japan. Photo credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum / Milestones of Flight
World Fliers to Remain in Tokyo for a Week
Daily Report
by Lt. L. P. Arnold "Chicago" Mechanic
Up about 8:30 & the morning was spent getting supplies & arrangements made & in the afternoon #2 was pulled up & put in the hangar. Luckily we were going to change pontoons anyway for someone stove a hole in one with an oar -- and when towing the plane in to the dock, the boat's motor failed & the plane drifted into another boat & we nearly wrecked a wing -- but all's well that ends well.
In the evening, the Admiral gave us a dinner & I doubt if any of us have ever spent a more interesting or enjoyable evening. First when we entered the Japanese house in town we had to remove our shoes & spend the evening in our stocking feet. We sat around on cushions awhile waiting for the crowd to gather & then went to the dining room. This was covered with straw mats & around the walls were placed individual tables for each guest which stand about 6" high.
The food was all Japanese & what it was I haven't the least idea except that it was mostly seafood. Chopsticks were the implements used & if everyone had as much trouble as I did they had a terrible time. A number of the geisha girls sang, danced, and played their drums & banjos. I have read of such things, seen them in the movies -- but to me it all seemed like a dream.
Some very nice presents have been given to us by the town -- a Japanese picture, fans, flags, and harmonicas. The picture being especially nice & really quite valuable