Hi! It's the three of us together on this one. We have had a packed three days of sightseeing and fun in the beautiful Japanese "countryside" (there are still big buildings everywhere!)
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| Our first stop was Mt. Fuji, but unfortunately the famous view was clouded by the even more famous fog. We spent a little time in the large souvenir shops, tasting more mountain shaped food than we ever thought we would see. Note: Be careful of the man who whacks you in the butt with a bell stick before you enter for good luck. |
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| The view from the bus was absolutely spectacular as we drove past the steep volcanic foothills of the Japanese alps. You could again see the amazing use of space in Japan, as every inch of flat land was residential or farmland, whereas the steep mountains were left untouched. |
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| Wasabi! So much wasabi! Our lunch at the wasabi farm was surprisingly mild considering everything (even the small dessert cake and ice cream) was wasabi flavored. (Top photo shows a wasabi root) |
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| The farm was beautifully laid out with long curving rows of wasabi plants growing by the river. |
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| Mastumoto Castle: The last stop of our day (where our legs got a major workout) was an old Japanese castle. The inside was full of worn wood and steep staircases that you could imagine samurai soldiers sliding down while preparing for battle. Set in the center of a small city now and surrounded by large mountains (some snow caps even peeked out at us) it reinforced the contrast between traditional and modern that we see everywhere in Japan. |
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| Our traditional tatami mat rooms at the Midori no Mura resort. The Yukata robes and Obi belts were worn to the bath house at the resort. The hot springs were relaxing and had an amazing view of the mountains. |
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| Dinner last night! Fried egg balls of octopus, but we only found that out after we ate them. |
Off to the 50th anniversary party!
Until later,
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