This morning, we woke up pretty early, but the Nakamuras were already awake and Gretchen had already come over as well. We had a big breakfast including some soup and vegetables. Then I also made pancakes with Mrs. Nakamura and Gretchen. They had an electric cooking pan that we put in the middle of the table, so you could eat and cook at the same time.
Afterwards, we took a few pictures together on the patio near the flower garden. Mrs. Nakamura says she gardens for about an hour each day, and it shows.
Homestay Day 2 album
And Gretchen
The first thing the Nakamuras wanted to do with us today was go to an onsen. These hot spas are naturally heated over hot springs, and they are public baths. The place we went today was also a restaurant, so the Nakamuras bought us all another meal, it was quite good. The onsen was really relaxing, and it was a better temperature than the bath at Anamizu, which was wayyy to hot.
The onsen, on a foggy day
The onsen, on a foggy day
After the onsen, we stopped for some food nearby. Gretchen bought us some ice cream and another dessert type food that was a baked crust filled with sweet bean paste, I forget what it's called. Then we happened to bump into the Mrs. Sakai and Jason again and we also met Mr. Sakai, and the Nakamuras invited everyone for dinner later.
Then we stopped by this resort called Shishiku Heights, which apparently does skiing in the winter, a sort of hangliding like activity with a parachute, and serves food and such. It also had an exhibit of artistic lion wood carvings:
Lion statues
Then we stopped by this resort called Shishiku Heights, which apparently does skiing in the winter, a sort of hangliding like activity with a parachute, and serves food and such. It also had an exhibit of artistic lion wood carvings:
Lion statues
The giant ones in the middle weigh 1.5 tons each, and were requested by the current emperor of Japan, when he was then prince.
Afterwards, we went back to Fresh Arena Tokyo Store to shop for dinner ingredients, we were having curry. Back at the house, we met with the Sakais and Jason again, and had a big delicious dinner, complete with almond jelly fruit salad. One of the gifts I had given the Nakamuras is a historical book about my town with a lot of pictures. I went through it and wrote a bunch of notes about parts of the town I knew, and showed it to everyone, and they really enjoyed it. Then we started making origami at one point, Soledad made paper roses for everyone, we taught Mr. Sakai how to do the Miura fold, and then made a cube, a 12 piece triangle-ball, and a 30-piece one too. We stayed until pretty late, I think about 10PM, and then thanked the Nakamuras for everything and they drove us home. Hopefully we'll see them again.
Afterwards, we went back to Fresh Arena Tokyo Store to shop for dinner ingredients, we were having curry. Back at the house, we met with the Sakais and Jason again, and had a big delicious dinner, complete with almond jelly fruit salad. One of the gifts I had given the Nakamuras is a historical book about my town with a lot of pictures. I went through it and wrote a bunch of notes about parts of the town I knew, and showed it to everyone, and they really enjoyed it. Then we started making origami at one point, Soledad made paper roses for everyone, we taught Mr. Sakai how to do the Miura fold, and then made a cube, a 12 piece triangle-ball, and a 30-piece one too. We stayed until pretty late, I think about 10PM, and then thanked the Nakamuras for everything and they drove us home. Hopefully we'll see them again.