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!