GSE to Japan.

Kyoto

noreply@blogger.com (A Frog In Az) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:30:00 +0000

Sorry we haven't posted in a while. We were in a smaller village where internet connection wasn't available in our host families, but we are now done with the Rotary trip; we went yesterday to the district conference and had a good time. We even spoke a little on stage, in Japanese in front of 1000 people. Rome, they open the district conference with a Taiko show, I am sorry you weren't there to see. Mike taped it.
We took the bullet train this morning to Kyoto and are now just regular tourists. Kyoto is a different pace but wonderful to discover.
3 more days and we are back home!

El Capitan is shown the correct way to wear his yucata.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:27:00 +0000

We also toured Koriyama's water facility.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:25:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:20:00 +0000

In Koriyama, we also toured the "cleaning center" which turned out to be the city's

recycling/garbage facility. They have no land fills and either burn or recycle everything!! Very impressive.

The fine art of making soba noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 11:58:00 +0000

The Mayer Report: An Update (SLW)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:30:00 +0000

Day 24: over three weeks in and Joel is still laughing. Forecast for next week: more sun.

Back for more karaoke

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:23:00 +0000

Cecile drew quite a crowd for her traditional Japanese interpretive fan dance while we karaoked (not an actual Scrabble worthy word) the night away.

typical Japanese bike with built in hand protectors

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:22:00 +0000

Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:14:00 +0000

On Thursday night, my host family (the Takahashi's) took me to the nearby town of Nihonmatsu to celebrate with what seemed like the entire town of 100,000 at their 350 year old lantern festival. It was a night I will never forget. SLW

Don't quit your day jobs.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:07:00 +0000

After being blessed by a Buddhist monk, his daughter attempted to teach Joel, Mike, and Sarah how to dance to the song "Sakura" while Cecile played koto music. Joel and Mike were naturals.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:04:00 +0000

One highlight of our incredible week three in Koriyama was being blessed by a Buddhist monk. It was a truly moving afternoon.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 09:01:00 +0000

We gave our sixth presentation (in Japanese) this week for the largest rotary club in Koriyama.

Rome this is for you (by Seshiru)

noreply@blogger.com (The team) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 08:45:00 +0000

This one was at the entrance of the samourai village in Aizuwakamatsu

Rome, I am sorry but I am not sure we went to the Taiko shop you said. However one day we were driving and suddenly I saw a Taiko shop in Aizu. So I screamed to the driver to stop so that I could take pictures.
I am also putting pictures of other "drums" (pardon me if I am not using the proper word), that we saw in front of shrines and temples and even close to a samourai village.

Fun in the Outback. (Finally one by Joel)

noreply@blogger.com (A Frog In Az) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 08:21:00 +0000

We stayed at a Japanese Ryokan, which is a Japanese style room where you sit on the floor and sleep on a futon and no shower in the room. That’s right, no shower in the room. Everyone bathes in a central bath where you have a shower first and then climb into a hot spring tub for a soak. Of course the genders are separated.

The Ryokan is located in Kitakata at the foot of a dam. The scenery in this area is absolutely beautiful. I took a hike up the face of the dam to be met by a technician that seamed upset that I climbed the face of the dam instead of walking up the paved road adjacent to the mountains. I crossed over the dam to the opposite side of the valley and found a small canyon. While hiking up the canyon, I could hear a scratching and cracking sound. I hiked up the canyon in the direction of the sound and after rounding a small bend came to face a small heard of Japanese goats called Sorrow. Before I could get my camera up, three of the four goats disappeared into the brush. I managed to get a photo of the one remaining, but could still hear what sounded like eight in the brush. I decided to leave with the photos I had and hike down the mountain and across dam to the paved road that the technician pointed out.

El Capitan

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:21:00 +0000

We got our hike on near Mt. Bandai.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:18:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:15:00 +0000

This photo made today's paper in Kitakata! We were attending a tea ceremony and got to listen to traditional Japanese koto music (see instrument in front).

We meet the mayor of Kitakata

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:13:00 +0000

Aizu Wakamatsu City Rotary Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:11:00 +0000

The Shoe Valet

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:08:00 +0000

I think Cecile and Mike may have different feelings towards their breakfast of fermented soy beans ("natto") ......

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:57:00 +0000

The girls enjoy a traditional Japanese style breakfast sans chairs after a relaxing hot springs bath.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:53:00 +0000

The Mayer Report

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Wright) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:24:00 +0000

The Update: Day 17 and Joel is still laughing. Five Day Forecast- sunny.

Ummm, Joel- is that you on the floor???? Waiter- can I have what he's having? SLW

Rotary Clubs (by Michael)

noreply@blogger.com (A Frog In Az) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:16:00 +0000

Although Fukushima prefecture (state) is the third largest of the 43 prefectures in Japan, it is rural and relatively sparsely populated. Consequently the clubs are modest size, 20-50 members. Our schedule is arranged for us to spend one week in four different regions of the District. The first was Fukushima City, population 200,000, with five clubs. This is where we had the elaborate Welcome Party. (I also played golf one day with three Rotarians). We just had our Farewell Party in the Aizu region with a very nice dinner. Aizu is further north and more mountainous. We stayed in Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata. My host in Kitakata was a Past District Governor and classmate of PDG Val. He is an M.D. and owns a hospital and has everyone recite the Four-Way-Test at the morning staff meeting. We now go to the Chuo (Central) Region and Koriyama City, the largest city and most commercial. The last week is in the Kenchu Region. We attend the District Conference in Tamura City October 13-14.

We have attended four official club meetings and two very nice parties in our honor. The meetings are punctual and follow a prescribed format. Dress is coat and tie. Nevertheless, there is a lot of laughter and fellowship. The clubs seem to focus on community service projects.

We have been treated like royalty. The schedule has been full but not hectic. We each have stayed with four wonderful host families, but have also stayed at some very first rate hotels and hot spring spas.

The team is in good spirits and having fun. We have painted our own lacquer ware art; tasted lots of sake; tried on expensive kimonos; taken a hike in the mountains; and given several presentations in Japanese that were well received; and eaten all kinds of Japanese food that is new to us. So far, it has been a priceless experience.

Just Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (A Frog In Az) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 06:48:00 +0000

Hiking day.

Mike wearing the Yukata after the hot spring bath.

Sake Tasting!
10 am in Japan...
But we decided it was 5pm somewhere (actually it was 5pm in Tucson. Good enough for us.)

Oh yeah, thirty something years old just play like little girls. (swing and dress up).