Japan

Oh, where to begin? And how to proceed?

Bruce, Jeanne, Beckett, & Axel are living in Japan right now. After discussing things over I decided to go visit them for a week. I am so lucky. It was a wonderful trip. 

We started out the trip by heading to the fabric district. One of the highlights was visiting a kimono shop and talking with the owners about how kimonos are made. It was amazing. That rope I'm holding is worth a lot of money and made by a 90 year-old. 

The next day we headed to Kamakura, an area about an hour and a half south of Tokyo.

One of the highlights of the day was this big Buddha statue.

We ate candy coated grapes. They were delicious!

Bruce & Jeanne under a red gate. 

The next day we headed to Nikko, which is about two hours north of Tokyo.

We ate breakfast on the train. I'm eating an anpan right here(bread filled with bean paste), which I had to take a picture of because the most famous superhero in Japan is Anpanman.

Beckett and I spent lots of time together during the week making origami creations. It was so much fun that I bought plenty of origami paper and instruction books to bring home to the kids.

A famous red bridge in Nikko leading over the river to the mausoleum site of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Me on the bridge!

The "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" monkeys right there behind me.

The mausoleum compound was amazing and I could write a few posts on all that I saw there. But I won't bore you... ;)

 We rode a lot of bikes in Tokyo. It was fun. 

Except the time Bruce put me in that seat that Axel is in - that was really uncomfortable.

A covered shopping street. I thought they were so cool.

Visiting a Frank Lloyd Wright designed school.

Beckett had a school performance that we got to watch. He was so fun and enthusiastic. 

(Second from left on top row)

Beckett acting as a rooster in his play.

I went with Bruce to see a kabuki theater performance. I admit that I didn't know how much I'd enjoy it, but I found it so fun. I wish we would have stayed for more acts.

We visited many gardens. They were all so beautiful and I loved being in warmer weather and enjoying fall colors again.

At one of the Shinto shrines that we visited they were having a ton of weddings. 

We watched multiple processions walk through the area. 

I ate all the food that Bruce, Jeanne & the boys suggested. This was a waffle-like dumpling filled with octopus. It wasn't the most horrible thing that I ate while there, but not my favorite. Despite not being a favorite it was still really cool to watch them being made.

Bruce & I stopping for a quick picture in Shibuya (the busiest intersection in the world - think Times Square but larger and more people).

Watching the crossing from above(the pedestrians are waiting for the light).

We went to church on Sunday. The church we attended is next to the LDS temple and a lovely garden. 

It was a lovely place to sit and meditate.

Not only was I enjoying fall colors, but there were spring colors as well. 

Even the azaleas were out! It was amazing to see red maples and azaleas at the same time.

I loved these Dr. Suess like creations in one of the gardens that we visited.

Bruce, Axel & I on a city bus tour.

The five-story pagoda in Asakusa. 

I enjoyed the shopping in this area near this shrine. 

And I enjoyed that while I shopped Bruce and Jeanne would run around finding me delicious food to eat and bring it to me. 

Preparing to enter the second tallest building in the world - the Tokyo SkyTree.

After being on top of the world and watching the sun set we took the Christmas tree photo op.

On my last morning we went to the restaurant district. It was amazing to see the wax food stores. 

Even Beckett wanted in on taking pictures of the wax food.

After a lovely week and a long flight home I was thrilled to see that I was missed!

Thanks again Bruce, Jeanne, Beckett, and Axel for a wonderful trip. 

I will never forget it.

Love you tons!