Yokohama

On this day trip we took the train to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan. We stopped for lunch at a shopping mall and enjoyed the curry at an Indian restaurant. From there we hiked to the CupNoodles museum. While Offspring #2 and I enjoyed a film about the man who founded CupNoodles, Offspring #1 and his family got in line to make their own cup of noodles with their specific ingredients. One child chose prawn and cheese and the other chose chicken and fish. They ate them that night so they must have been good.After the museum we took a walk along the water front. We walked past a wedding fair. Music was playing and stalls displayed the latest wedding trends. Later we walked past a children's music performance. We were trying to walk toward China town but rain started to fall.The first hint of Typhoon Faxai had appeared. We headed back to the train to get home. Rain fell on us but it felt good because it was so humid out. Once home we prepared for the storm. All outside strollers, toys and bikes were brought into the house. Shutters covered the windows on the first floor. We found candles and lighters and flashlights. We filled the tub with water and had plenty of fresh water and food on hand. We went to bed and I slept all through the night although the strong winds woke me up a little. The others did not sleep as well. They heard the winds and the rains. They heard the eerie quiet of the eye of the hurricane. They heard the winds pick up again this time from the other direction. Shoot, I wanted to experience a typhoon but I slept through it. When I woke up all was well. Neighbors were washing their cars to get the salt water off the finish. Others were sweeping little bits of leaves off the sidewalks and driveway. Later, when we went for a walk to the local park we saw a neighbor had part of a fence connected to a deck fall off the garden wall and into the street. They had some repairs to do. Given that the fence fell into the street the damage must have happened after the eye of the hurricane had passed. School was closed today. Trains started late. Some areas of the military base had serious wind and water damage.We were safer here up the hills away from the ocean.

Kitakamakura

We took a car to the Navy base and then walked to the train. We got off at the Kitakamakura Station.We ate at a Buddhist restaurant. We removed our shoes and sat at short chairs. We were served vegan food in the Buddhist style which means all five colors of food and all five tastes of food. I wasn't sure of everything that was served but we sure used a lot of cups and bowls and plates as items were brought and taken away. We had some sliced vegetables, miso soup, tofu, fried soy milk, green tea, barley tea, pickled ginger and pickled some okra, rice with walnut topping, other identifiable things and ended up with sliced pears. We were full. After that we walked to the Jochi-ji Zen Temple. We walked up the many stairs. We walked around the gardens and the grave yards and into some caves. Once finished there we walked to some temples closer to the train station. At these temples there were meditation classes going on. People came here to worship.  We strolled around for a couple of hours. We walked through the shopping district. I had a sesame ice cream cone that was delicious. Sea eagles flew over head crying loudly. The high humidity made us feel logy. As it was getting dark we boarded the train for home. Once the sun went down the temperature was more bearable. We walked by the Naval base as the sun was setting. We hear a typhoon is coming soon so we stocked up on supplies and headed home. 

Tokyo Day Two

This morning we took a bus to Tokyo Tower. This is an orange tower shaped like the Eiffel Tower.

From there we walked to Zojoji Temple. Inside we smelled incense, saw drummers practicing, and saw the people in the shrine getting ready for the 11:30 service. Downstairs they had restrooms and a seating area where we could relax and enjoy hot or cold barley tea. I had cold barley tea.

After that we walked to the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Gardens which were closed today. This is a view from the outside. We saw a gray egret fishing in these ponds but my photo did not turn out well. After that we went to a shopping district for lunch. From where I sat near the window on the second floor I could see shoppers and school kids strolling by. Some shoppers wore rented kimonos. This street had a plastic roof over it. I watched a white rumped swift flying by trying to get out. For lunch I had edamame and tofu. It was delicious! We had a long trim home by train because the tracks were still blocked by the accident with the truck.

Tokyo

Today we traveled to Tokyo. The plan was a sort walk, a bus ride, a train ride, a bus ride and then we have one more short walk to the Sannyo Hotel. Instead we had a short walk, a bus ride, six or seven train rides, a bus ride and a short walk to this very nice hotel for military and their families. The problem was the train we were supposed to get on was struck by a truck. The train derailed. Yellow fruit spilled all over the tracks. One person died and thirty were injured so we were glad we didn't get on that train. To get around the accident took many trains and a lot more time. We decided to go to a Ramen restaurant. To get there we had to walk by the park by the Metropolitan Central Library which is where I took this picture. After a delicious dinner we walked to a book store inside a shopping center to buy some books written for children. I enjoyed walking back in the dark looking at all the city lights and the people traveling on foot, on bikes, in cars and on buses. Japan feels like a very safe place to me.

Kannonzaki Nature Museum

Yesterday we spent most of our day at the Kannonzaki Nature Museum. This facility had trails leading down to the rocky shore which were very fun to explore. The tide was out so we saw creatures in the shallows. A freighter went by and the subsequent waves sent us scurrying back up the hill to avoid getting wet. Inside the facility they had displays on fish, the fishing industry, evolution, history of the people who lived in this area, botany, and a touch pool where we could touch urchins, rays, octopus, sea hares, flat fish and star fish. One of the staff saw us using the touch pools so he took a turtle out of a box and set it free in the grass. We watched the turtle crawling through the turf for a long time. The naturalist turned the turtle on it's back so we could see how it extended it's neck to right itself. The naturalist kept talking to us and repeating certain words but with the language barrier we weren't understanding very much at all. We felt honored to get his attention though and we could tell he was having fun showing the turtle to us. After that we went to an art museum for lunch.We ate Italian food on a veranda overlooking the ocean. We stopped at a grocery store to pick up some food for supper. Shopping for food without being able to read the labels is very difficult. We wanted tofu. They had 15 kinds of tofu sitting there but we could not tell which ones were soft, firm or extra firm. We decided to buy two kinds and figure it out when we got home. Turns out the one with the black label is firmer. The scariest thing we saw all day was a giant spider crab. This crab had legs over a yard in length. I am sure if I was snorkeling in the ocean and came upon one of those giant spider crabs I would high tail it back into the boat. 

Yokosuka

Today we walked around Yokosuka. We stopped at the Navy base to get our passes. We had to show our passports, give our fingerprints, and have our pictures taken but now we can be on base as long as Offspring #1 or his wife are with us. After that we walked through the town. We stopped at a park so the grand girls could swing and slide and play on the equipment. We searched for a place for lunch. Eventually we ended up at a place that served Indian and Nepalese food. After that we went to Mikasa Park. This park is located next to the Navy base on the sea front. There are signs here warning you not to eat your food out in the open because the black tailed kites (raptors) will swoop down and steal your food out of your hand. I see a lot of black birds. Some are crows, some are carrion crows, and some are rooks. I can't tell them apart yet. We did see a cicada carcass that was quite large. I picked it up by it's three inch long wing. The body was about three inches long and almost two inches wide. Then I put it back down. This park had a Japanese ship we could tour. The ship was used in the war with the Russians in 1904. We didn't tour the ship but we did walk around the water feature.Sometimes they have fountain shows here. We walked near the friendship arch which I posed my Godzilla here. After that we walked to a store known to most of you as a dollar store but here is known as 1,000 yen store. I didn't buy anything but I enjoyed watching all the shoppers. I feel very tall in Japan. School children came in after school all wearing uniforms of blue and gray with book bags slung over their shoulders. After shopping we headed back to the base to get our car and head home. Now I have a better feeling about the layout of Yokosuka.

Sayonara

I have packed my bags for a trip to Tokyo. I am bringing Godzilla here with me as a mascot.

I am glad to arrive after a 12 hour flight.