Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Temple, Kyoto 2016

Arashiyama is beautiful district of Kyoto that part modern city and part Japanese Western movie. The main sites there besides the district itself, is the Tenryu-ji Buddhist Temple, and the amazingly beautiful Sagano Bamboo Grove.

We went to the Bamboo Grove first because we were excited to see it. Not overrated at all! I want to live in a bamboo grove- so peaceful and beautiful. The way the light filters through different parts of the grove gives each part a different color and look throughout the day.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
Kevin and I in the Bamboo Grove

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
It's a winding trail through a huge bamboo grove

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
A bright and open part of the grove with no trail

Inside the grove is the Nonomiya-jinja Shinto Shrine, where Imperial Princesses purified themselves here for three years before serving at the Ise Shrine.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
Kevin entering the Nonomiya-jinja Shrine

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
Inside the Nonomiya-jinja Shrine

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
Inside the Nonomiya-jinja Shrine

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 2016
Good luck tokens

The adjoining Tenryu-ji Zen Temple and Garden is amazing. We even stopped to meditate there. My pictures really don't do it justice at all. This was one of my favorite temples, and obviously we saw a lot!

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
Kevin at the Tenryu-ji Buddhist Temple

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
The Tenryu-ji Buddhist Temple

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
The Tenryu-ji Buddhist Temple and gardens

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
The Tenryu-ji Buddhist Temple garden

Before we left we walked around the town some more and got something to eat. Specifically, we got octopus balls. Technically you're supposed to have these in Osaka, but the little doughy Kyoto ones were my favorite.

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016 
Arashiyama

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
Arashiyama

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
Octopus Balls- mostly fried dough with a little octopus in it

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
Yum yum yum.

Arashiyama, Kyoto 2016
Green tea ice cream! Perfect day!

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Numazu, Shizuoka 2016

Andrew, Kevin, and I took the Shinkansen from Shinagawa in Tokyo to Shizuoka, and then took a local JR train to Numazu (沼津市 Numazu-shi) . Numazu is a city in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan where Andrew has been teaching for the last year. He'll be there at least another year.

Numazu, Japan 2016
First stop off the train- we had to buy Taiyaki

Numazu, Japan 2016
Taiyaki is a fish-shaped cookie- fish involved- this one is filled with chocolate

Numazu, Japan 2016
Near the Numazu train station and near Andrew's job

We headed for Andrew's Japanese apartment to drop off our stuff.

Numazu, Japan 2016
Nakamise

Numazu, Japan 2016
Andrew's apartment building- take your shoes off at the door please!

Numazu, Japan 2016
Emperor of his castle

Numazu, Japan 2016
Kevin checking out "the bedroom"

Numazu, Japan 2016
Kevin looking out the balcony

Then we went back out. We walked around the Nakamise covered marketplace area. We went to a bookstore and a stationary store but it was closing time so we didn't dawdle too much.

Numazu, Japan 2016

Nakamise

Numazu, Japan 2016
Nakamise

Numazu, Japan 2016
Nakamise-selfie

Numazu, Japan 2016
The sign says "Small children must hold hands with George Washington."

Numazu, Japan 2016
Kevin buying some Shakespeare translated to Japanese.

We decided to go to Andrew's favorite ramen place for dinner, Fat Dragon. There's just one small counter, and it fills up immediately. Then you get the biggest most delicious miso ramen. Andrew and the other Japanese people finished these. I failed so hard I had to apologize to the chefs (SUMIMASEN!) and tell them it was delicious. Then I said something like "I'm little" or "I'm weak."

Numazu, Japan 2016
Walking to ramen

Numazu, Japan 2016
Waiting for Fat Dragon to open.

Numazu, Japan 2016 
The chef cooks in front of you

Numazu, Japan 2016
Andrew at the small counter

Numazu, Japan 2016
With our HUGE ramens. Kevin got the spicy fat dragon.

We wanted to see more of the town so we went for a romantic walk along the waterfront and beach.

Numazu, Japan 2016
Numazu Port and Tsunami Wall

Numazu, Japan 2016
Walking along the Ayamibushi Bridge?

Finally, the part we had been looking forward to the most! We met Andrew's friends and coworkers for Izakaya. It was like a pub. We sat in sunken benches at a table close to floor level and the waitress brought many little Japanese plates of food and never-ending beer.

Numazu, Japan 2016 
Kevin had to duck to enter

Numazu, Japan 2016
We had little lockers for our shoes

Numazu, Japan 2016
Mitsu and Yumiko deciding which little plates to get

Numazu, Japan 2016
Erik and Andrew's boss "Manager"

Numazu, Japan 2016
Kevin, Andrew, Mitsu

Numazu, Japan 2016
Ayumi making the peace sign and Shigeyuki

Heading home, we passed Blanky's Bar and felt an irresistible pull inside. Why would we want to resist?

Numazu, Japan 2016
Blankey's Bar is a cute little hole

Numazu, Japan 2016
Andrew and Mitsu giggling over sexy vacations with historical figures

Wednesday morning, Andrew had work in a nearby town for a training. We delivered him almost all the way to the town and then Kevin and I went on to Kyoto. Goodbye, Andrew-san!

Numazu, Japan 2016
Andrew off to work, Mt. Fuji in the background

Numazu, Japan 2016
Kevin, me, Mt. Fuji

Numazu, Japan 2016
Numazu manhole covers are beautiful.

Harajuku... Again, Tokyo 2016

I was really determined to go to Harajuku even though it was raining. I'd been hearing about Harajuku's particular fashion for a while and I wanted to check it out myself. It was a Tuesday afternoon so I'm guessing it was a bit more restrained than it might be on a weekend, but I still got a little taste. I didn't photograph people dressed in the style because it was too rude on this narrow street but the posters and stores should give you the idea. Harajuku was way more exciting in the daytime!

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
Near the train station

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
Takeshita Street

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
Takeshita Street

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
You can see some of the brightly colored weird clothing in the store here.

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
My spirit animal: fat pink bunny.

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
The cutest food court eva.

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
Their best boy band pose.

Harajuku, Tokyo 2016
This means: CUTENESS is justice.
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