Destination: Japan

Day 3: Tokyo to Sendai to Morioka to Matsushima

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 | By asami | Views [536]

Day 3 Highlights: Seeing the tuna auction in action at the Tsukiji Market, the largest fish market in the world Taking the Shinkansen up to Sendai Taking the Loople bus to historical sights in Sendai Taking the local train to Matsushima, ... Read more >

Day 2: wandering around Tokyo on my own

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 | By asami | Views [634] | Comments [4]

Day 2 Highlights: Breakfast with Uncle Yasu and Aunt Toshiko at the Okura Hotel Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple and all the little shops out front Akihabara (electric town) with all the latest electronic gadgets Meiji-Jingu Buddhist temple, ... Read more >

Day 5: Lake Towada to Oirase to Morioka

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 | By asami | Views [370]

Day 5 Highlights: 1.   Lake Towada ferry taking us around the massive crater lake to see its perimeter 2.   Oirase waterfalls and surrounding foliage

Day 4: Matsushima to Morioka to Lake Towada

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 | By asami | Views [380]

Day 4 Highlights: Morning onsen overlooking Matsushima islands Taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Morioka Drive from Morioka to Lake Towada

"We all live in a yellow submarine!"

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 | By abcarlson | Views [803] | Comments [2]

While Mama was here, we purchased the latest RockBand game, "RockBand: The Beatles," to provide us with hours of fun and a good way to unwind in the evenings.   For all you who aren't familiar with RockBand, it's a video game where you choose ... Read more >

Rawhide!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 | By abcarlson | Views [767]

Mama and I went out for lunch with Megumi the day before we flew back to PA.  We had a fun time wandering through American Village and ate at "the Depot" for a curry-filled lunch.  Mama had "Prime Rib Curry," I had "Chicken and ... Read more >

Guess where we went!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 | By abcarlson | Views [714]

To the Okinawa Aquarium, of course!  We had a lot of fun showing Mama around the Aquarium and taking her to the ever-changing dolphin show (it's always completely in Japanese but we've never seen the same show twice!) When we got back from our trip ... Read more >

Gallery: Mama's 2 Weeks

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 | By abcarlson | Photo Gallery

Let me explain...

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 | By abcarlson | Views [679] | Comments [2]

To quote "The Princess Bride," "Let me explain.  No, there is too much.  Let me sum up." We've had a very busy, very fun last few weeks.  And we have plenty of photos to prove it!  When we got back to Okinawa from NE, we brought ... Read more >

Day 1: Chicago to Seattle to Tokyo

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 | By asami | Views [501] | Comments [1]

Hello friends, It's time for my travel blog again!  I got laid off from my job on Oct 1st, so I extended my Japan vacation to include more of Asia -- Thailand, Hong Kong, Laos and Vietnam -- for a total of 64 days.  I always try to do some extended ... Read more >

Last Memories of Japan... OR How to Be Naked With Old Ladies... OR How to Spot a Cross-Dresser 101

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 | By hannahandemma | Views [2282] | Comments [7]

OK. So last time we left off, we had climbed down a mountain and encountered the wrath of Buddha. If you thought that Japan was done with us, you were wrong.    As everyone keeps telling me, onsens are part of the Japanese experience. You can't go ... Read more >

Tags: japan, maid cafe, onsen, tokyo

Buddha's Revenge... OR I Wish I Was Cute (but not really)

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 | By hannahandemma | Views [1165] | Comments [2]

the people in japan are annoyingly cute.   actually. as card-carrying, bitter north american cynics Hannah and I have been having a jolly old time scoffing at cars that look like gum drops, women wearing pigtails into ther forties, the animation ... Read more >

Tags: buddha, japan, karma, observations

Blog Tease... OR Remember That Time We Didn't Go To China?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 | By hannahandemma | Views [769] | Comments [1]

Hey Friends! We have so so so many stories and I promise they are on their way, but this is just a quickie update: After a lot of deliberation and despite fighting with processors at the embassy... our dream of singing the soundtrack to Mulan atop ... Read more >

Tags: china, trip changes

To grandmother's house we go... OR Dining with mobsters

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 | By hannahandemma | Views [1156] | Comments [10]

It all started innocently enough with a trip to Hiroshima to visit my grandmother (the tiniest and cutest little 89yr old woman ever - hence forth referred to as Obaachan). After some fam jam visiting, my Obaachan's next door neighbour (a stately looking ... Read more >

Tags: crazy night, drinking, hiroshima, japan

The Trials and Tribulations of Fashion

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 | By hannahandemma | Views [810] | Comments [1]

Its the time you have all been lookng forward to- a note from Hannah. We arrived safe and sound in Kobe to spend some time with Emmas family. Heading out for some day trips in Kyoto, Hiroshime and Nara which should be awesome as there are sooo many ... Read more >

Tags: fashion, japan