update . . .

I know it's been a long time, but here is a short update. Of course I won't be able to remember everything that happened, but I hope that I can at least post the most important things! I was busy doing transcription work so I didn't have any free time. First, here's a description of my trip to Dazaifu, the famous shrine for learning. It was just like my image of Japan that I had in my mind, it was extremely beautiful. We happened to go when the people who worked at the shrine (not monks, I'm not sure what they are called, priests?) were ending their day. One man beat on a taiko drum, the other man came to the front of the shrine and said some things and bowed to the shrine. There were women (priestesses?) who also bowed. It was very interesting to watch and even my friends had never seen it before! Here are a ton of pictures:

First, we ate at a traditional Japanese restaurant! Yuka's mother treated us because they were late in picking us up. Yuka drove, and it was my first experience being in a car in Japan besides the taxi ride from the airport!

 

Oishii! Look at all this food! 

 

This is Masayo, I think she was talking to Yuka or something.

 

Tiny, yet very tasty dessert! :P

 

Yuka chowing down on some shrimp. So delicate . . .

 

Me and Yuka!

 

Take 2!

 

So this is where the Totoro live! :D

 

I think this was a house. It looked amazing to me ...

 

Once we reached Dazaifu, I saw this. Apparently it has poems on it

 

Can't escape Starbucks! Apparently it's famous around here for its unique design. I seriously thought that it was under construction at first.

 

Rubbing this bull's head supposedly makes you smarter. Yuka, you are smart already!

 

The entrance to the shrine!

 

These stairs and bridges definitely beat the rendition in the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

 

Purple moss hanging from a tree!

 

Yuka was supposed to be in the picture with me, so I felt really awkward . . . they were both just taking pictures of me standing there.

 

The perfect shot, I'd say . . .

 

 

There were little shrines along the way

 

Almost there! view from the top of the 3rd bridge. I found out afterwards from one of my students that the first bridge symbolizes the past, the 2nd the present, and the 3rd the future. You are supposed to be thinking of these things as you cross them but I didn't know at the time . . .

 

The steps get increasingly smaller as they reach the top. I know it means something but I'm not sure what.

 

People hang their prayers and fortunes here

 

Kirin!

 

I thought Tim might like this. I think he'd make a good tattoo . . . I'm just saying :p

 

The final entrance into the shrine

 

Look at the detail . .  this is the inside of the shrine. There is a mirror and the priest bowed to this mirror. I'd like to know what it signifies.

 

The famous Dazaifu bird! Someone tell me what it is?! (in English)

 

More Totoro land! I really want to go up those steps and explore .  . .

 

I really felt like I was in a painting   . . .

 

We ate again after visiting Dazaifu, it was really fun! We went to a super cheap sushi place

The Shinkansen brought our food fresh, express!

 

Yuka invited us to her house and served us huge grapes! All of the grapes here are enormous. Apparently Japanese people always peel the skin off of the grapes. I ate it the way it was, though. It was so good!

 

A Japanese pear?! 

 

It was hard like an apple but had the taste of a pear and the slight taste of an apple, too.

 

I think these were made from red bean paste but made into Jello, it was good!

 

My favorite dessert, chocoloate mochi!

 

I was so full by this point, two full meals plus a lot of dessert . . .

 

And really hot cocoa! Cocoa powder with sugar and heavy cream, steamed to perfection!

 

Yuka looking so delicate in her girlish room. Apparently she hates feminine stuff as much as me but her mom made her change her room to look girly! How sad. Anyway, it was cute-looking! 

So this was the end of my very long day before the 2 week's worth of transcriptions. It was a nice little vacation! I can't wait to go back! One of the best parts was before getting to the shrine, there were many shops, one was a Totoro shop!! Also, you could sample local foods, and unlike America, they served you tea when you tried their food and didn't care if you didn't buy a thing!! We were trying everything and I felt bad so I bought a few things, but everyone was so nice and didn't seem to care if you bought anything or not! I couldn't get a picture of the Totoro store because it wasn't allowed. Yuka snuck a picture in so I'll see if I can get it from her :D