Japan Wow!!

It is now the Friday, the 19th of December. Since I last wrote. I have travelled from Osaka to Tokyo and then from Tokyo to Akita. I had many stops along the way and saw some beautiful scencey. After arriving in Akita, I was met by Thorfinn at the JR Railway station. We took the bus back to Kika and his place. Transportation is amazing in Japan. During my stay of almost five days, I had a wonderful time, Akita is like a small city and has that same feeling of it. Similar to Georgetown. I got to try some new restaurants, visit Thorfinn's private high school class, meet a lot of terrific people and have a Christmas party with some of Kika and his friends. I was very fortuate to have the opportunity to meet Mio - that spoke very good English and took me around for the day in Akita. During that amazing time, I saw Akita City Port Tower called Selion, Senshu Park including the Kubota Castle and Osumiyagura Turret, many museums both private and public and Kanto Festival Center.
At the Port Tower I was able to put my hand into the Sea of Japan, see a Japanese Coast Guard boat, that had digital display on the boat and see interesting signs on the way to our many destinations.
At the Kanto Festival Center, I was able to try to hold up the lanterns that are lit when the festival is occuring. They are three different sets of lanterns, the first set that I tried was 5 kg and the second was 50 kg. Click here to see more information on the festival







Photo of the Akita Port Tower




Photo of the Port leading to the Sea of Japan




Photo of the Japanese Coast Guard boat

Photos of me trying to balance the lanterns of different weights and wearing the shoes that the people wear while carrying the lanterns　and playing the various instruments that they local people play during the festival.




Photo of me touching the Sea of Japan





Photo: Of the unique towing lane sign in Akita




Photo of me holding up the lanterns at the Kanto Festival Center



Photo of me balancing on traditional Japanese Kanto Festival shoes



Photo of me playing one of the drums that they play at the festival.





Photos of me on a real Kabuzi-za stage in the Kanto Festival Center




Photo of Mio and myself on the Kabuzi-za stage in the Kanto Festival Center







Photos of a real traditional Japanese house and store at the Kanto Festival Center




On the Saturday, Thorfinn and Kika hosted a Christmas party and visited me as well as many other people. We went to the his school to pick up one of the guest that was a Chinese student at his school.





Photos of the Private high school and the winning Softball team









Photo of the Softball team of the high school - they practice and play 7 days a week.



After everyone arrived, we had so much food and had an Christmas gift exchange. It was great.



















Photos of the food!!










Photos of more food especially dessert!!

































































Photos of the people at the party, food and gifts.




We also played a game similiar to rock, paper and scissors to decide who would go first in regards to opening presents.













Photos and Video of that game.



On Sunday, Mio was graceous to take me to the JR Railway station to go onto Tokyo.