Spring Break Trip

Osaka

Kyoto Tower

Kyoto

This is a famous sakura tree in Kyoto. It lights up at night.

Himeji

On Monday my host family and I got up really early and went to the train station at 5:30. We rode the train to Himeji and arrived at 10:00 at night. We had to change trains about 6 times. On the train I listened to books on tape. By the end of the trip I listened to four books on tape. On Tuesday we got up and ate breakfast at the hotel before going to the castle in Himeji. I found that one of the coolest parts of the castle was the part of the castle where the princess lived. It was just interesting to learn about the princess's life. There were so many tourists there. Afterward we took the train to Kobe where we stayed overnight. At night we ate at one of the hotel restaurants with my host family's friends. It was an Indonesian food buffet. Then next day we got up early and took the train to Kyoto. In Kyoto we went and saw many temples and shrines. We walked so much. I liked Kyoto a lot. It was so pretty especially because it was the time of year where you can see so many sakura. After Kyoto we took the train to Osaka where we stayed overnight. We took one of the hotel shuttle buses from the train station to the hotel. I got to see outside and Osaka looked so cool! It looked very modern. I hope I can go back to Osaka one day and spend more time there. Then on Thursday we once again took the train back to Nagasaki and changed trains many times. We finally arrived back home at 11 o clock at night. It was a fun trip but I was really exhausted and was so glad to be home!

Hanami

Purikura

Purikura

Sakura

Sakura

Sakura

Today I went with my friend to go look at the beautiful cherry blossoms which in Japanese are called sakura in Japanese. Hanami is when people go sit under the beautiful sakura and have a picnic with their friends and family. Well we didn't have a picnic because we went out for lunch before then but we went and took a walk through the park and took many pictures of the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms that we saw were white. I am going to Kyoto soon and many people say there are really beautiful cherry blossoms there so I will take many pictures and update my blog again after my trip! Right now is a very beautiful time in Japan with the cherry blossom season and I am enjoying it so much! And of course with every outing we have to take purikura pictures. I think I explained in one of my previous blog entries that the young people love to take these purikura photos when they go out with friends. Then after you can decorate the photos however you would like! I am sure I will come home with hundreds of purikura pictures but I think it is one the best way to remember an experience!

The Biggest Temple in Nagasaki

Today I went with my host family to the biggest temple in Nagasaki. The inside was beautiful and everything inside was so detailed. My host father had a friend who does taiko drumming at the temple so we got to go and play the huge taiko drums which are really cool but really expensive! The drums were really loud but really fun to play on. He also showed us around the temples. It was very neat to see. I think it was my first time going to a big temple like this one.

Chinese Lantern Festival

At the Ryoma museum.

This statue was really cool it was all made of dishes!

One of the temples.

The balloons everyone let go to celebrate the New Year.

On the 14th of February was the Chinese New Year. This is the day the Chinese Lantern Festival started. I went with my host mother and host brother to look at the lanterns that weren't lit yet. It was raining out so before the lanterns were lit we went to the new museum of Sakamoto Ryoma who is a very famous figure here in Japan. It was mostly all in Japanese and so I mostly just looked at the pictures. Then we returned back to the lantern festival in time for the countdown to the New Year and the time when the lanterns were lit. To celebrate the New Year everybody let go of balloons too. I went two more times to the Lantern Festival. One time I went with my host mother to have a tour of some of the Chinese temples. The temples were really cool to see but I didn't understand much of what the tour guide was saying. Yesterday was the last day of the festival and once again I went with the host family and so I got to see the pretty lanterns lit up one last time. Here are some of the pictures I took.

Huis Ten Bosch

Nawael and I at the super trick art museum.

Christmas illuminations.

This was at the super trick art attraction.

At the super trick art museum.

Hot chocolate with almond cream.

Beyond the windmills are the cute houses that I like so much.

On one of my last days of winter break Nawael, Chelsea, and I went to Sasebo to go visit Huis Ten Bosch. The tickets are usually very expensive but Nawael received three tickets as a present and chose to take Chelsea and I to go with her! Huis Ten Bosch is a Holland themed theme park. The buildings are so pretty. I didn't feel like I was in Japan anymore beccause I felt like I was in Europe. There were attractions like a boat ride down the river, going inside to see how a windmill works, a teddy bear museum, a trick art museum, some small rides, 3D movies, shows, and there was even a parade. Only the parade was more for little kids. When we first arrived we ate lunch at the Chocolate House. The restaurant was also connected a chocolate shop. The chocolate shop had a huge chocolate fountain. I drank some hot chocolate with some almond cream in it! It was delicious. The almond cream tasted just like the almond butter that I put on toast at home. We went and had fun at many of the attractions after lunch. We went and rode the river boat 3 times! I liked the boat because there was this one area that I liked and got to see a little bit more of it. It was either a residential area or rental houses. It was separated from the park by the river and all the houses were so cute! Chelsea, Nawael, and I also had fun shopping for souvenirs. Nawael and Chelsea bought cheese. The cheese at Huis Ten Bosch is really good. At night we got to stay and see the pretty illuminations. Most of the park was lit up with Christmas lights. After dinner we headed home. The day was so much fun but really cold because Huis Ten Bosch is right by the sea. There were not many people at Huis Ten Bosch because of the weather so it was nice not to have to wait in line for anything. Here are some pictures that will show you more of what we did at Huis Ten Bosch.

Rotary New Years Party

Everything that went on for the kimono.

Me with one of the geishas.

On the day of the Rotary New Years party I was very busy. First I went to the weekly Rotary meeting where they had a small party. Instead of a sit down meal it was a buffet and after we took a picture of the whole club. After the Rotary meeting my host mother picked me up and we went to the hair salon to get my hair done. The detail in my hair was amazing. I wish I got a closer picture of my hair. We arrived to the party early so that someone could help me put on my kimono. It took so long for all the layers to be put on me. After the party was over and I took everything off my host mother helped me fold the pieces and we put them in piles. I was so surprised how much I had on. One of the pictures I posted is a picture of the pile. For the New Years party we went to a old and expensive Japanese restaurant. We sat on tatami mats on the floor. I sat on a little chair. Everyone else at my table sat in seiza. Seiza is first kneeling on the floor and then folding your legs under. I have to sit in seiza for tea ceremony club but I can only do it for a short period of time before my legs fall asleep. We listened to some speeches at the start of the party and toasted to the New Year. During dinner we were entertained by geishas. They danced for us, played music, and sat at the tables with us talking and serving us food. One of the geishas was so nice and we had a lot to talk about. She is the one in the pink kimono above. The geishas even had us go up and dance with them sometimes. It was very entertaining. I also participated by picking out names from the box for the prizes as well. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about Japanese culture. Once the party was over I was very happy to take off my kimono. It is so pretty but very tight and tiring.

Pictures From New Year's Day and Winter Break

A traditional New Years decoration.

The New Year decorations on my host family's door.

The pile of clothing that came inside of my fukubukoros.

My New Year's money came inside of these envelopes.

This soup includes mochi and many people eat mochi on New Year's.

I think this is sake and they drink a little bit of it on New Year's day inside of those little red bowls.

A closer look at what is inside the boxes.

The expensive boxes filled with food that people eat on New Year's day.

Christmas cake that had real gold flakes on top.

Bowling on Christmas.