Thursday 27 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day 10

Day 10 was a bit of a whirlwind. We got up really early and made our way to the Peace Park in Hiroshima. It felt strange going there because I am American. However, I felt really disconnected as well because I am so young. It’s difficult for me to comprehend any of that happening. After visiting the Peace Museum and wondering through the grounds of the Peace Park, we traveled on a really old tram to the port where we got a ferry to Miyajima Island. Upon arriving, the island was packed with tourists. It was pretty intense. However, I have to say that Miyajima is one of the prettiest places I have been to in Japan. The deer there are kind of gross though. They chase people around for food. After visiting Itsukushima Shrine and wondering around by the sea, we took a ropeway to see the top of Mount Misen. It was quite hot, and the trails were a bit more than we were expecting. I was really surprised though because Japanese girls were wearing high heels and walking the trails. There are supposedly monkeys on Mt. Misen, but I didn’t see any. I was a little disappointed. Coming back down from the mountain, we rode the ropeway with a 15 year-old Japanese boy. He was really eager to practice English, which made me happy because I want Japanese students to enjoy speaking English.







Wednesday 26 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day 8-9

On days 8 and 9, my mother and I stayed in Osaka. On day 8, we went to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. It was pretty cool. There is like this massive tank in the middle, and you keep walking around it on different floors in the building. It got a little boring after a while though. After this, we decided to make our way to Osaka Museum of History. I thought it was especially good because there are a lot of exhibits, and it is very visual, which is good for foreigners. The next day was quite chill. We went shopping. However, it was very hectic due to Golden Week, so we quickly left and sat at a Starbucks for a while drinking coffee. The afternoon of day 9, we made our way to Hiroshima.

Osaka Aquarium



Osaka Museum of History

View of Osaka Castle from Osaka Museum of history

Monday 24 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day 7

On day 7, my mother and I stayed in Kyoto and went to the Imperial Palace. You have to apply for a tour to enter the palace, which is a bit of a shame because the pace of the tour was quite slow. The grounds around the palace are really nice though. There are a few bridges, and the colors of the flowers and bushes in spring made the scenery beautiful. In the afternoon, we decided to visit Nijo Castle. I had been here once before, so we did a pretty quick run of the place and then headed to Osaka to spend the night.








my mom at the Imperial Palace

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day 3-6

On days 3-5, my mother and I stayed in Gotemba. My mother got to meet a few of my friends, and we went out for Indian one night. Also, she helped me with teaching a class, which was interesting. On the afternoon of day 5, my mother and I left for Kyoto. We used bicycles to get around, which was funny because I got to watch my mother attempt to ride a bicycle. The first day in Kyoto, we visited the Heian Shrine. I had been here once before, but I think it is my favorite place in Kyoto. The garden there is amazing, and it isn’t crowded with too many people. After this, we made our way to Kiyomizu Temple. It is one of the most famous places in Kyoto, but I didn’t like it all that much because it is really crowded. Also, it is a mission to go up the huge hill crowded with loads of people and shops just to reach the temple. To end the day, we ended up in Gion where we ate Okonomiyaki.

By the temple shops at Kiyomizu Temple
Pagoda in Kyoto
At the Yasaka Shrine
Heian Shrine's Gardens
Heian Shrine
Me in gardens of Heian Shrine

Friday 14 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day Two

On day two, we went to Ueno Park. I was surprised at how big it is. The first place we went was Ueno Zoo. It is a little small and for some reason the panda bear was missing, but overall, it was good. There were lots of families with their children and some couples on dates. I think my mother and I were the odd people not only because we were American but also because their were no older daughter-mother pairs. Also, there is a large lake. It’s really pretty because there are lots of people rowing boats on the lake. The next time I go there, I really want to rent a boat. Finally, in Ueno Park, we visited Toshogu Shrine and the Pagoda there. These are quite small, but worth a visit, if you are already in the park. To end the day, my mother and I visited The Tokyo Metropolitan Building in Shinjuku for an amazing view of the city.

View from The Tokyo Metropolitan Building

Lake in Ueno Park

Ueno Zoo

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Mom's Visit-Day One

This is going to be the first post concerning my mom’s trip to Japan, so I guess I will start with her arrival. My mother left St. Louis on May 22 and arrived the next day in Narita. She traveled by herself to our hotel, and surprisingly didn't manage to get lost. We spent the night in Shinjuku. I think the first culture shock she experienced was separating ice, paper, and plastics at McDonalds rather than just throwing it all in one trash can. That Saturday, we made our way to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. I was really surprised at how massive the grounds were. I think you would have to walk for an hour just to walk around the entire grounds. After this, we made our way to the Yasakuni Shrine. There was a street market leading up to the shrine. After this, we went to Koishikawa Korakuen Garden. The garden is really surprising because it seems like a random garden put in the middle of Tokyo surrounded by loads of buildings. I think it is a nice escapism from the city as many people go there to paint the scenery.

Wadakura Fountain Park near Tokyo Imperial Palace

Wadakura Fountain Park near Tokyo Imperial Palace
View from grounds of Tokyo Imperial Palace
Tokyo Imperial Palace
Near Yasakuni Shrine
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden