Last post!

So, I've been doing a pretty terrible job at updating this blog. It's 2:30 in the morning the night before we leave, I just finished packing (for the most part) and realized that if I'm going to post anything else to this blog, I need to do it now. I'm tired and can't think of anything witty or interesting to say, so I'll just let the pictures do the talking (with a few captions, of course). enjoy! :) 

making tako-yaki at my mom's cousin's house. 

A totally PACKED bike parking lot. 

 When you're 20 in Japan, you're an adult. As a part of becoming an adult, it's tradition for people to take fancy kimono, or now mostly suits for men, pictures. Since Sean will probably not be in Japan while he's 20, Baba wanted to get it down during this visit. This picture is of the second or third step in Sean's getting dressed process. 

 He got a lot of attention.

 almost done!

 all done and looking pretty sharp. 

 We went out to eat with mumsy's cousin's son (back left). He wants to be an English teacher, so I think really enjoyed hanging out with us and practicing his English. 

Not sure how they ended up posing like this, but it was adorable. 

Shibuya + Harajuku + Big Gyoza

The other day, mumsy, Sean and I made a trip to Shibuya and Harajuku to do some shopping and just walk around some of the most famous areas in Tokyo.

This is one of the biggest crosswalks in Shibuya. You may recognize it from that terrible movie "Lost in Translation." This photo was taken in the afternoon on a weekday. Friday night you literally can't see the lines on the ground because it is just a complete sea of people.  

 Sean and I being tourists and taking a picture with "Hachiko" in Shibuya.

Walking to Harajuku...it was HOT.

 Mumsy using a pay phone. She really wanted me to get a picture of this.

 After Shibuya, we walked over to Harajuku.

 just a random photo of a very cute, almost too cute, store

 Takeshita Street - the most famous street in Harajuku.

 After Harajuku & Shibuya, we met up with Ethan and Baba for some big + delicious gyoza. 

 SOOO good!

 I <3 hiyashi chuka! (cold ramen)

In Harajuku Sean got this very useful shirt. It says "I don't speak Japanese" in English and Japanese. He says he's gonna wear it for the rest of our trip. 

Karuizawa!

Wednesday we left for our two-day, one-night stay in Karuizawa, a vacation spot like 2 hours outside of Tokyo. The company Akihiko-san and his wife used to work for has a place that current and former employees can stay at when they want to visit Karuizawa, so we got to stay there for pretty cheap. The town is BEAUTIFUL, surrounded by mountains and so much green! It was a refreshing break from concrete city Tokyo. We got there in the afternoon, had lunch, then headed towards the Shiraita Waterfall. The waterfall was gorgeous and because summer break hasn't started yet for Japanese students, the place was surprisingly empty.

A pic of some mountains on our drive into Karuizawa.

Ethan pretending to be old.

Where we stayed.

free rental bikes!

mmm... delicious soft serve.

best photo series ever + random pix

I'm not the biggest fan of bowling. I don't mind going and playing a game or two, but for the most part, it's not my thing. So, when we were bowling yesterday and mumsy and Sean decided they wanted to play another game, I entertained myself by creating the following photo series. The only way this could be more amazing is if Baba would've been there to take part.

And, now for some other random photos:

hanging out at the Ikea Bistro...

Akihiko-san took Sean & Ethan to help with his work, and it seemed necessary to hold their hands so they wouldn't get lost. It was a pretty great thing to witness.

The benefits of having a grandma who knows people with a farm. I've never seen such a giant bag of edamame.

mmm...

delicious parfaits...

from Milky Way.

The squatting toilet!

Jiji's 7th Ceremony

Another reason for this visit was for the 6th anniversary of Jiji's death and his 7th buddhist ceremony. It's the final service, which made it all the more important that we could be there. We gathered at his grave, and had a brief service led by the same monk that has done each of Jiji's ceremonies.

After the ceremony...lunch! The food was AMAZING. 

This was some of the most delicious pork I've ever had in my entire life. The melt in your mouth, leave you slobbering kinda pork...

Sean arm wrestling against my mom's 66 year old cousin. Sean won, but just barely.

train ride home...