Cramming a lot of stuff into one post

The swing scene

Out for dinner...before more dancing

Kampai!

New friends from Seoul...it's a small world, really.

"Hi, Po-zu!"

And so rainy season has begun...

Mother's Day Brunch at church

Sayonara computer! *sniff, sniff*

I finally used those tickets

Ai and I at the marine animal park

Somebody likes Ai a lot.

How to tell the weather in Numazu

Giants baseball game

In Tokyo Dome

Giants won :)

Well, not sure where to begin, but I guess I can start with the reason as to my very long absense from posting anything...my computer died. After six years of loyal service, my computer decided to kick the bucket. So I was without a computer for about three weeks. I do have almost everything backed up though (minus my pictures of Osaka...figures), so I'm not too upset. My new computer (a Macbook) is really great and I've been having fun with it...

I went to Osaka for Golden Week as well as swing dancing (several times) in Tokyo. I went to Osaka Castle and the Municiple Museum of Art for a special kimono exibit that was being held there. The kimonos were truly lovely and the castle was interesting to explore as well. In Tokyo, I did a lot of dancing. One night, instead of leaving to catch the train home, I stayed and danced till 6 in the morning...good times.

A few weeks ago, I finally used those tickets that I won and I went with my friend, Ai, to Awashima Marine Park. The park is small, but we had fun and saw some interesting marine life while there (purple lobsters, anyone?). Mostly, it was just nice to visit with my friend.

Last week I went to a Giants game at Tokyo Dome. The Giants are one of the most popular teams right now, so I was happy that I got to go. They won the game and it was a lot of fun to watch. The fans get really into the game...made me think of Navy football games in the U.S. :)

Well, I guess that is it for now. There is not much more time left for me to be here in Japan, so I am determined to make the most of it. I hope you are all doing well. Have a fantastic summer!

Hanami and Easter

The sakura trees behind my church on Hanami

Numazu Church

Seeing the sakura trees in Fujinomiya with Emi and Kohana

It was a beautiful park...

Easter brunch with Leah

Easter Omedetou!

Beautiful day in Atami

Found these guys inside Atami Castle

...these too

By the sea in Atami

Well, it is really, really Spring, and I'm loving it! In the beginning of April all of the Sakura (cherry) trees bloom and it is quite a sight to see. The Japanese know this, and since it only lasts about a week or so, they have a special day (Hanami) that they go and just enjoy looking at them (with a picnic in hand of course). I met up with Emi and Kohana and we had our own picnic of Fujinomiya Yakisoba under the Sakura trees. It was such a lovely afternoon.

Easter Day was also amazing. I went to church and my friend, Leah, joined me as well. We were given eggs that the kids in the church had decorated (they were so cute) :) After church, we went to brunch at a nearby French restaurant, that was incredibly good...may have to return again soon. Then I headed off to Tokyo for an evening of swing dancing...simply a wonderful Easter, really.

The next day, I met up with Leah and this time we traveled to Atami. The city really reminded me a lot of home...but this was mostly due to the closeness of the ocean and the palm trees I think. We walked along the beach and then took the ropeway up to Atami castle. The castle is sort of like a museum now and we saw a lot of interesting things inside it. Maybe next time I will go check out the art museum that is there.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the nice weather. Take care!

Swing and Dolls

So this past month has been rather busy. First of all it is the end of the school year here in Japan, so my workload increased a great deal for the month. Second, I found some swing dancing groups to practice and dance with. I was able to go dancing twice this month in Tokyo (both times for many, many hours). It was so much fun and I really enjoyed being with the people there as well. I am planning to keep going as often as my work schedule will allow. Below are some some video clips of the people I met dancing (sorry, I'm not in there...I'm filming it) and a Charleston routine I learned in a class (this is the instructor...from the back). I can't wait to go dancing again! XD

Also this March there was Girls' Day to celebrate all the girls in Japan (they have a Boys' Day too later) and to wish them all happy and healthy lives. I was able to see my friend's Hina-ningyo (doll display) that she had set up for her daughter, Kohana. It is absolutely beautiful and depicts the imperial court of ancient Japan. These displays are set up inside the homes of girls and kept up for the festival/holiday, but are taken down immediately after the day because it's bad luck to have up after the holiday is over.

Well, I guess that is it for now, but I hope you are all doing well and enjoying Spring. I'm looking forward to warmer weather myself...hopefully...maybe someday... :)

Kamakura, Yokohama, and mochi!

Sandy and I begin our tour of Kamakura

The sakura trees were blooming at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

The gardens at Hasedera Temple are beautiful as well

The walkway at Zeniarai Benten Shrine

They really do think of everything here.

Light show at Enoshima Island

It was so lovely to see

Chinatown in Yokohama

They are well known for their Nikkuman (meat buns)

My lunch :)

I found Kitty-chan there as well.

Yokohama's Guardian of Water statue (a gift from San Diego)

At Yokohama harbor

The Little Girl with Red Shoes, Sandy and I

The old red brick warehouse...which has been made into a shopping center

Cosmo World- home of what was at one time the largest Ferris wheel in the world

After church activity...making mochi.

An interesting way to eat rice...it's very sticky

Leftover mochi was used to make daifuku (a desert)...I got to help make some.

So it's been a busy and interesting month. On the 15th and 16th I met up with my friend Sandy for a holiday in Kamakura and Yokohama. We packed in so much site seeing the first day in Kamakura, my poor legs and feet were sore from the vast amounts of walking done. We had a good time though and that evening there was a really cool light show held in the gardens on Enoshima Island (it was for Valentine's Day, but just the same it was so pretty). The next day was in Yokohama, so of course we headed for Chinatown. It was really fun to see with all the pandas, chestnuts and nikkuman being sold everywhere. Afterward we went to Yamashita Park, which is right on the harbor and we saw some famous statues there. Then we went to the red brick building and looked at the shops, which there were tons of. Cosmo World (the local amusement park) wasn't far off so we decided to go there next. We went on a roller coaster (which needed to be longer...it took maybe a minute for the whole ride) and the Ferris wheel (which had a nice view of the city). By that time we were exhausted and decided it was time to go home. However, I am going to try to go back at some time...it was too much fun.

This weekend was more low-key. I went to church, and afterward the church had a mochi making/eating party. It's a tradition here in Japan to make mochi for the New Year, but January is so busy that the church makes it in February. It was interesting to do and watch...it's a group effort really, everyone takes turns pounding the rice until it's like a sticky dough. Then it is portioned off and served on the spot. It tasted good and I'd like to try making it again...but I don't know where I could find a wooden hammer that big again. Oh, well. :) That's it for now. Ja ne!

Christmas, New Year's, and (my) Birthday

Celebrating Christmas early with my friends

This actually was not posed...which makes my friends so amazing

Bringing in the New Year (according to Australia's time)

Playing with fireworks

Hanabi! (Fireworks!)

I heart Japanese nail art!

For the New Year, there is no other way to celebrate so well as a trip to the circus

Do you see those zip lines going across? Now, picture me hanging from and gliding down them...

My co-workers gave me flowers...

...they were so beautiful...

...and a great way to celebrate my birthday :)

I got another haircut :)

I'm hoping that all of this will make up for my lack of keeping up to date in my blogging. Basically, it's been a busy holiday season. I worked on Christmas (I don't recommend this, it's just wrong really) but I finally had a break for New Years so I went for a visit to Okinawa. I got to stay with my Aunt Annie and Uncle Tom and my cousins, Jack and Michaela for over a week. We had a great time and did a lot of different things. Some of the activities included: going shopping, playing with fireworks, getting pedicures, going to the circus, and going to a high-adventure park. It was really so much fun, and I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to do all of this (My family is amazing). My birthday (January 18th) was spent in Tokyo (Shibuya to be specific), where I pretty much did a lot of shopping with my friend, Ai. My ipod recently died (literally earlier last week), so my big purchase was a new one (it's so cool!). I also got a hat, some CDs, a blouse and some earmuffs...it's pretty cold and windy here. Anyway, I had a great time and for dinner, we had nabe (Japanese hotpot). It was a nice birthday (I even got a haircut earlier in the day, which was also nice). Please enjoy these pictures and videos (my parents gave me a cool flip video camera for Christmas so I could do this). I hope all of your holidays were just as wonderful! Take care!