Here's a picture of what it looks like here in Ibaraki, outside of the apartment complex where Sakura's parents live. It seems like a nice place, but I haven't really spent much time outside...mostly because it's quite hot and humid. I think I will be going to see Ponyo (the newest Miyazaki film) today with Sakura and her family, so I will try to write an update about that later. I'm not sure how much of the story I will be able to understand, though... : /

Back in Japan

Greetings all,

I've just spent my first night back in Japan. It's been more than a year since I've been back but it doesn't really feel like it. Right now I am staying at Sakura's house in Ibaraki, which is about an hour north of Tokyo. I haven't taken any pictures yet, so that will have to wait, but...I figured I would just get the ball rolling again.

Hato Bus Tour Catalog!

Wrap Up

Here's a final batch of photos. I have many more, but I tried to pick out the most relevant moments for this blog, so here goes.

The first picture is us having dinner at a fancy restaurant in Shibuya--one of our last meals together in Japan. Then, a nice view of some buildings in Nikko, burial place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, first shogun ruler of Japan. Following that, a picture of my host parents at Nikko. Finally, we have the Nemuri Neko (Sleeping Cat) and the entrance to Ieyasu's grave.







And that about does it. I'm pretty sure this is my last update for this blog, so I hope everyone enjoyed it. I definitely plan on going back to Japan in the future, so there's always more to look forward to. :)

Final Update - Kyoto and Beyond

Well this will be my final batch of pictures, seeing as I am already back home in the States. I figured it was my duty to finish off this blog, so here goes.

Most of the pictures in this post relate to our two day trip to Kyoto. The first picture is from inside the Shinkansen, Japan's fastest type of train. I'm taking a nap, as you can see. Then we have Nijo Castle, all of us after an hour of Zen meditation (and the monk who taught us), a Shinto shrine with literally a thousand red gates (I forget what it's called), and the theater where we saw Kabuki back in Tokyo.

More Gion Matsuri

Here are some more pictures of the Narita Gion festival. The first shot doesn't look like a festival picture, but I assure you it is. I shall call it Kamejima (turtle island).

That's all for now, folks.

Tea Time and Gion Festival

First two shots are from the Japanese Tea Ceremony field trip. The Tea Ceremony is a very traditional and intricate tea serving/drinking ritual, and needless to say I completely failed at being any good at it. The second shot is the tiny door where you enter and exit.

Next we have the first couple shots of the Gion festival in Narita (If you remember, I posted a couple shots of Narita in one of my first updates). Narita is a completely different place during this festival, filled with people and delicious foodstuffs--and of course a creepy monkey/fox man, too.