Kevers in Japan

Kyoto, Round 2

Cindy and I took a quick trip over to Kyoto via the shinkansen for a few days. This being my second time to the city, I was totally taken aback to how I felt about this city by the time our time ran out.

I fell in love. I could have wandered the old streets for days...

tea houses

We were fortunate to see 6 geisha in total as we wandered through the Gion district. The geisha culture is still very much alive here in Japan, and I read that there are still some 2000 geisha in the country who are experts in their field of tea ceremony, singing, dance and conversation. There were many a businessmen hurrying into the tea shops on their way to a night of their company. All of the above photos were taken in the old district of Gion.

We did manage to pull ourselves away to go up to Arashiyama to see the bamboo groves.

It was beautiful and cool, and a wonderful respite from the heat.

love the street food of this area!

Tea ceremony and yukata (summer kimono) dressing

Obi

Couldn't resist the 'fake hair'

The tea ceremony was held in a Japanese home, and was very interesting. The tea was prepared and served in a very exact manner. All the small steps, and meaning behind each was incredible. The very bitter tea was surprisingly good served with the sweets. But I liked the dress up most of all!

Hakone Yunesson

From lake Ashi we went to the Hakone hot springs resort. The resort is supplied with the natural springs in the area, and is very well known for mixing its springs with various other type drinks. The resort is split into two separate areas, one area for swimsuits, the other for going it in the buff. The Japanese typically go to hot springs or 'onsen' in the nude so I was rather relieved to know they had a bathing suit area.

The children had a great time going from onsen to onsen, and it was a very unique experience to say the least.

This was their 'cold tea' hot spring

Roman themed baths

Softening their feet, preparing for Dr. Fish

hundreds of little fish nibbled on the dead skin of your feet. This tickled!

But our feet felt so smooth afterwards!

Green tea. Audrey wanted to drink the whole pool

Coffee. This was most definitely the strongest smelling spring...

And wine

Another tea pool

Yes, that is a real tea pot

And the favorite was the outdoor water slide. This is Stanley

I did not get pictures of the sake onsen, or the dead sea 'salt water' onsen for some reason.

This was a very unique Japanese experience not to be forgotten, that the kids are dying to get back to!

A Canadian visitor

So Cindy Hayhoe came to Japan for a few weeks. It was so wonderful to have this visit to look forward to. The children were ecstatic, and it was so nice to have a great friend come to show this country to.

We spent the first few days just relaxing here on the base, and then I took her into Tokyo for a few days of sightseeing. The sights, sounds, foods, crowds, and general 'I can't believe I am really seeing this' was fun to show her.

Rickshaw in the Asakusa district

Our view

old part of Tokyo, one of the few parts not bombed in WWII

We met up with Cindys cousin Rob Walker, and his two boys for lunch one afternoon.

Rob, and two of his boys Elija, and Milo

Cindy was also present for the blessing and prayer for little Sakura at our Tokyo Assembly.

We then took Cindy to Hakone, a area close to Tokyo renowned for its natural hot springs. Hakone is a town on the edge of Lake Ashi formed after a volcanic explosion hundreds of years ago. You can take a boat across the lake, then take a cable car up over the crater and see where steam is still rising from various vents in the mountain.