Foundation Day and The Busiest Day of My Life

I had a wonderful Tuesday day off last week in honor of Foundation Day. The day celebrates the date that the first emperor of Japan was crowned and the divine lineage of the emperor. It is a much-debated day in the country but most just use it as an excuse to go shopping. In my case I went on a hunt for nature! Thus: Takayama. About a 3 dollar train ride away, My friend Scott and I boldly set out to attempt to find the trail head. Along the way we discovered some Marin-worthy housing.

A shinto-style cemetery next to the street to Takayama.

The hike was amazing, I will be going again to atempt to find a secret mountain village.

Saturday , Valentines Day was destroyed by rain and thunder but I absolutely made up fo it on Sunday. I started the day off by going to Taiko. The group is Wadaiko and I have already noticed an improvement in my playing.

Wadaiko on a break.

Immediately after Taiko ended I rushed to the train on headed for Downtown Osaka to meet my friends. There about 6 of us headed to the Osaka Aquarium. Among some of the features they boast is a baby seal and A Whale shark (sadly, no beluga whales though).

These things were massive!
The crab tank was the point were the group unanimously agreed
we need to go eat sushi when we were done.

The entire time in the aquarium I couldn't quite get my
camera settings right but once we hit the jellyfish room
I found the magic jellyfish setting. Who knew?

After the fish adventure we headed off to Namba for cheap sushi and mind-boggling madness. Didn't manage to get a picture of Namba but I can attempt to describe it; food, shops, billboards, hip clothing, "America Town," music, people giving out free hugs. The most eventful part of the namba experience for me was of course dinner. We managed to find the only Mexican restaurant in Japan. WOO~

It was delicious, I went to bed dreaming of refriend beans and enchaladas.

Sunday was without a doubt one of the most tiring days of my life. I woke up at 7:30am and made it home at 11pm. It was fabulous. As for things I miss: good food (my host Mom can't make a meal if her life depended on it), family that loves and laughs together (not the same degree here), trees, the sun, root beer.

Wish me luck! Next weekend looks like it will be just as busy. Look forward to bowling, more hiking, and Namba revisted.