Tokyo

A couple of weeks ago I went to Tokyo with a few other JETs.  It was a last minute decision to go so I had to take the Shinkansen down there rather than the night bus.  we all managed to stay with a friend of one of the people I was traveling with, and hung out with them for a couple days.

I went to Edo Castle, Shibuya, Akihabara, Harajuku, Meji Shrine, Yoyogi Park, and Odaiba.

Back to Hakodate

I'm riding the ferry to Hakodate today.  When I left my house snow was starting to stick on the ground, and that looked kind of nice.  But on the ferry over all I can think of is that it really looks rather dreary today. 

Shingo Village and Lake Towada

I went to visit a friend's house in Shingo yesterday, and spent the night there.  Today we decided to go see Lake Towada as well.

Shingo is a charming village of about 3,000 people, and is the burial place of Jesus Christ and his brother.  Allegedly Jesus didn't die when he was crucified, but rather his brother Isukiri took his place while Jesus fled to Herai (now Shingo), Japan to become a rice farmer.  He lived to be 106 years old and had a wife and two daughters.

Lake Towada is 40 minutes south of Shingo.  The temperature was hovering just a few degrees above freezing so we didn't explore it to much.  We did go hike a small portion of the Oirase River immediately adjacent to Lake Towada which was absolutely gorgeous.

Chocolate

Last week a student gave me a piece of chocolate, ever since then I've been eating all the chocolate I can get my hands on.  Winter must be coming. 

Happy Drug

Near my house there is a store called Happy Drug.  In Japan most drug stores are called something like Happy Drug, Mega Drug, etc.  I wonder how much business a store in the US would be getting if they decided to call themselves that. 

Japanese Parking Garages

I had the experience of learning about how a different type of parking garage works in Japan.  Space can be an issue sometimes so to solve this problem they just build up.  You drive your car into a lift and the attendant puts it on a shelf.  When you are done it comes out facing the other way so you can just drive out. 

Misawa Air Show

Yesterday I saw an air show at the United States Air Force base in Misawa.  The US air force did a few things, but the Japan Self Defence force put on the majority of the show.  The groups name is Blue Impulse, and it was amazing.



Blue Impulse wasn't the only thing that was there.  The Air Defence Force Symphonic Band was playing as well as a taiko group.