Kakegawa Business Hotel Ekinan Inn

... When Ayaka and Kevin failed to get up a second time, it was just me and Corey who went back to finish the night out. We were left with the real temple-partiers; guys who had already sung themselves hoarse, had drank way too much (and were still drinking until after I left), and lost their shirts for the Water-dance (see video for explanation).

It was like hanging out an after-hours bar on a Tuesday morning.

When it was done, and the song was sung, we stumbled back home ...

... at the location we were to run in.

The location was next to be in Toyota-city, in Northern-western Aichi, in a park the held the International Expo in 2005, a huge environment-boasting event, showcasing everything from robots to new mass-transporation vehicles that ran on electricity and water. Wish I could have attended it, but part of the deal was that they'd return the park to its original state, keeping just a few sports facilities in the park. I didn't look like they ...

... I've been getting used to doing on occasion nowadays.
During that period, before and after, the rain seemed to pick up, and it was a wonderful sound to drift into for that short period. The dojo itself is a small rehearsal hall, with wooden floors and a stage. It being next to a retirement community (there's plenty of those around here), I'm sure it serves them for special events. It being somewhat of a hall, the acoustics in that place from the ...

... awkward, and I kept telling myself it would be no big deal if I was sent away, but I couldn't help grumbling and already allowing the pessimism towards foreign cultures to set in. Later on, I was surprised how long it took me to finally walk into the onsen in Toyone.

Let me tell you this story.

I spent about two months contemplating how I was going to get in there Scot-free. I heard stories of people getting special bandaging, but I didn't want ...

... Now just to make it harder, I'm going to stick rivers, mountains, trees, and piles of dirt between you and the hole. OH, and did I mention, that you'll have to wack at this wee ball with a wee stick? Har har har" and all that jazz. The point is, it's fun because it's a pointless challenge. Back in the days before telegrams or camel-riding, some poor sucker who was quicker on his feet than others had to deliver messages, well ...

... various Vodka-like drinks down my throat (beware of Shochu), sake, and lots of beer. I was holding my own, and then when things got dark, we pulled inside for some much needed Karaoke.

There's nothing like drinking and then wailing your heart out on a song-machine in a private room amongst friends. The Japanese are very obliging, no matter your level of skill, in Karaoke. They just want you to have fun. So out comes the drinks, and the various snack ...

... high-tailed' it outta there, leaving his hapless victim (not his dinner, mind you...they're herbivores right?) on her own.

So, having disturbed this lovely display of primal roots, I burst out laughing, feeling awful for having taken part in playing the breakin-father. But heh, if I'm not allowed to have fun, neither are the bloody bunny-rabbits!

Kinball rocks!

... off-the-road spot, behind the High School, that had a very old wooden shack (yet well-kept), and a little stone path beside it leading to a beautiful little farm, hidden away under the rising hill behind it that serves as a road up to the mountain.

I picked a good spot to sit down and enjoy my lunch, and closed my eyes for awhile. eventually, my thoughts turned to snakes (as they usually do out here), and I started at the sound of something moving leaves around to my immediate ...

... a door. In I went, and plopped into a chair, where what was just moments before a loud and gossipy exchange--now, dead silence. I was the first to break the awkwardness by saying "Kakko ii onegaishimasu!" (translation: Handsome please!). They all broke out laughing, and stumbled over each other with questions over where I was from, how old I was, if I was married, how long I had been studying Japanese, and if my hair was its natural color. Eventually that calmed down, when ...

... the Japanese Education system. Think about how much money we spend on paying people to sweep, vacuum, mop, and clean up the messes that Western students haphazardly leave after themselves after eating, emptying out their lockers, or crafting a state-of-the-art spitball machine complete with an endless supply of ammunition. We're messy kids, and we don't even realize it.
In Japan, right from the start, they teach these kids the responsibility of cleaning up after themselves ...