Hisashiburi, as the Japanese say. It basically means, "gosh, it's been a while since we last saw each other." Anyway, I have decided today to discuss the long awaited topic of my short stay in Okeyama, along with a few choice bits from more recently. For example, today I ate a pickled silk worm from Korea while wearing my kimono Meiji style in a Japanese history classroom. I'm sure the locals get a surprise from me every other morning when I ride through on my bicycle in any number of things that look like cosplay on me, and I get a kick out of wearing this stuff. I'm getting better at putting my clothes on, too, which usually involves tying an awful lot of knots.Anyway, During my stay in Okeyama, I traveled around to Hiroshima and Uwajima as well. The image above is of the Uwajima mountains as I came in by ferry. Above to the right is the entrance to the temple itself, which had flooded the day before - good thing I came when it was no longer closed.
There was quite an impressive pagoda here, so I had to capture a classic shot. The image to the left is perhaps more meaningful, since it makes the pagoda appear just a bit more majestic. There were somewhere around fifty steps leading up to the temple near this particular pagoda, and I and my two temporary host brothers (5 and 7, I believe) ran up those steps without the slightest problem. Everyone else followed a bit later...Back to Uwajima. So, this is the image of the famous tori, or gate, of the temple. It is several yards out at sea rather than actually opening directly onto the temple as would be normal. I don't understand the reason, and I don't think my host family understood either. I asked.
The temple itself, as may have seemed likely by the extraordinary flooding I mentioned, is built directly over the water. In fact, from almost anywhere on the various walkways you can see numerous tiny crabs making their way across the rocks. They are well hidden by their coloration, however.
And a random show monkey. He knew a lot of tricks...Why was he there? Because there were tourists willing to pay to have their picture taken with him, that's why.
The deer here, as in all of Japan, are insane. They are about the size of a large dog, and most of the time will act like a large dog. They are constantly in search of food, and this one followed us for quite a distance before finally giving up. She tried to eat my maps first, until I wrestled them (wet and wrinkled) away from her. The children love the deer (all the posted signs say not to pet them, but who reads) and will walk along with their hands on the deer's backs. The deer don't seem to care. They're up for anything for a free meal. I definitely took my one chance and stroked this one's back myself...
Nara is famous for its deer more so than Uwajima, but since I haven't yet gone, I'll settle for these little guys.
Random dinosaur picture. This was at the kabuto museum I mentioned earlier, not in Uwajima. I feel random, so I placed it here to get it out of my head. I think it's cool, and so does my current host brother (he asked if it was real, and I told him no, more because I thought he should be afraid if he ever saw a real one than because I wanted to crush his young dreams).
And this is the upalupa that lived as a pet in my temporary host family's house. He was so cute, and I loved playing with him (poo-chan). My Japanese professors all thought it was amazing that such a large upalupa existed when I described him in class. Maybe he grew so much because the 5-year old boy loves feeding him...
Gotta love these cute little guys.
And my friend in front of the mighty tori. Awesome shot. It totally says Japan. I wonder what sort of dance that kid in the background is doing.
Jaa ne (see you again soon).
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