Japan~ April 2013 Trying to do Justice

 On the way to the Kyoto Emperor's Palace.

We don't get to see very many pets around Japan, and especially without a leash.

We didn't know who the owner was of this old gal cooling herself off in the stream. But she was a very pretty sight under the Cherry Blossom trees.

We had a rather long walk to the Palace. See the tree in the distance? I love how the trees are supported~ as they mature....ahhhh, as Taka supports his dad! This was quite a walk for Taka's Papa

 

The sign says "an exotic bird on a rock"

 Those covers for the paper shoji doors, were held up as I'd never seen.
This is what the sign said:

It was a long time ago.

It's a reminder how "young" the U.S.A. is.

All the places in white in the roof, it appears to be that all the ends of the wood, where it had been cut, was painted in white.

Fresh, still-green bamboo

I noticed that tall man in the middle of the crowds, and figured he was a basketball player in Japan. Sure enough Taka told me, he knew the team he played for. 

An "old" player~ from the Tar Heels team it looked, and what Taka said too.

 Impressive. The style of these young women! I think this is the first time I've seen heels worn with a KIMONO! SO cute! And off the young women ran~

Lunch that afternoon~ OKONOMIYI! I don't think Taka's Papa really likes it, he wasn't exactly enthused. I've never cared for the KAGOME sauce (like Worsterchire) but they had one OKONOMIYA meant to be eatec with SHOYU, so, it worked for me!

Then we went to a knife shop that Ischin had heard about. 

 Where both of us bought little knives (for less than $100.)
After buying a knife...

...they even hammered in your name onto the metal of the knife.

Then they showed you how to wash, dry and advised how they should be kept.

There were knives left out...

 I noticed I wasn't the only one who felt rather nervous that knives like these were left, basically, unsupervised. One couldn't help but imagine what a crazed maniac could do with those...

 There were other kitchen wares for sale. I loved the pestles!

Other pieces were, pretty expensive~ And at this shop, only cash was accepted.

On this day, one last stop was the Kyoto Castle. Where we weren't allowed to take photos inside.
It's well known for the squeaking floors. The Shogun~clan would hear intruders and be able to go into self defense mode. I must say, I was very impressed with it all!
 the statues made one imagine...

That night, at our hotel we had this crazy hours long meal!
Well, not THAT long but seemed like 8 or 9 courses~

 What came first, that was a "SHEET" of DAIKON! and it was standing up, like a TOWER! and inside were the small fish delicacies. Yes, we could eat the DAIKON too.

something else Ischin looks only semi-impressed with.

 After all the good fish and sea vegetables, the meat was really not impressive.
   And then I was surprised. I wasn't used to having the rice and miso soup served at the end of the meal, after all that other filling food~ see. Still American me, after more than twenty years in Japan, there's so much I do not know!

Then the desert. 

Lotus root crackers?

Interesting.

Tomato sherbet? on a slice of tomato...must admit, none of us found it very tasty!

Back in Nishio.

Another day~

Taka and I,  hungry were directed by a friend to this UDON restaurant. They cook the UDON in front of you, then you go through and choose any pieces of TEMPURA you'd like to add. On that cold rainy day, it was perfect!

I spent a lot of time at Cafe Ocean. I loved it~ sometimes I needed to use Ischin's car. Finally I would be staying at Ischin's new home very close to Cafe Ocean.

look behind me, back into the kitchen. Ischin's back there cooking his pasta. Sayoko told me I looked like I was watching my child in a play~ when I would watch them.The food is VEGAN!

and the veggies grown locally.

It's becoming one of the most well known restaurants around.

And on another afternoon Taka, Taka's Papa, Yuriko and I stopped by there for deserts.

Ischin, and other coworkers have just moved into this new home. It's one thing I was able to help a lot with. Helping Ischin move.

The kitchen didn't look like this by the time I left!

His bedroom was behind me. These are the living rooms

AND, there's a TRAMPOLINE that the owner of the house imported to Japan from the U.S.!

YURIKO got to get some of the first jumps in!

All the people and fun. In the classroom, a little get together~ Sayoko, Yuriko, Suzuyo and Tomomi Sugisaki,  Anita, Jennifer, and the girlfriend Tomoyo? of Jelani. 

Taka and I didn't eat home often...but this one day of ramen, and we also didn't have time to watch much tv except for this one afternoon?!Another night Ischin came home from work and made pasta for us... and another
 morning Kahori came with Chiffon cake, and we had a morning break from cleaning to sit in the sun, & snack with Kana and baby Suzuki-kun.

We were busy cleaning and moving things. I had this box... the framed photo is a photo of Zen on the beach. I was thinking about whether to keep it or not. Then I opened a box of lots of letters and cards. The top letter was this card from my Mom, and the little girl looks like Naomi, and with the same pose. How can I not want to keep these now?!

Taka and I boxed up many photos albums. Many!!!!
Ischin's moved out of the school-house rental we've had since 1996. But our English School N.A.C. will stay on until November 2013 when the lease is up. Anita will relocate the school, and I will return to help come October.

This Spring was a perfect season to be there and do what I did for three weeks, and see the many friends that I did.        At Kazuko's always very beautiful home...

...she showed me this. In celebration of her baby grandson they bought this  KABUTO which Kazuko told me the boys will put on when they are older, for a photograph? I believe. These are decorating her TONOMA space.

I loved seeing the flying carp. Usually families will hang the real carp flags outside for this Boys Day occasion 5/5.  But instead of buying carp for outside, Kazuko found this, which she has framed, a TENUGUI~ a light cotton head/neckwrap.

And this is what I will leave you here with!