People's Inn Hanakomichi Nara

... train that would take us to the Shinkansen stop. After a slight snafu where "someone" did not listen to his wife about there being another train at a different stop that was headed where we wanted to go and pointing out there were about 200 people at that stop while we were the only people at our stop, "someone" asked a rail employee and learned his wife was right. So, off we ran to the correct stop and made it just in time.<br><br>The ...

... from. It turns out that he had just recently visited America, and proceeded to tell Kaoru about his father's trip the the World Expo in San Fransisco in the early 1900s... Then he began showing her the musical instrument that they use in the mountains - a triton's trumpet. Bascially, it was a huge shell with a mouthpiece attached to it. After a comical explanation of how to play it, Kaoru and I took turns giving it a good blow, so to speak. Kaoru ...

... researching japanese culture. We can both see obesity hitting Japan in the next few years, you can get cheese on lots of things and Macdonalds and starbucks are threatening on every corner. We took the train back to Kyoto, fighting the urge to sleep on the cosy warm train, and headed back to the hotel for some housekeeping things - this travelling lark isn't easy !! we needed to check on some reservations and make sure ...

... her - she shrieked! These deer would let you pet them, cuddle them, hug them insofar as you gave them food. They only wanted food. No food - no lovin'! Very different to see deer that tame. Some of these deer had their horns sawed off. It at first seemed a little cruel, but after one started head butting us for food ...

... middle of the steps in front of the pagoda. Two guardians of the orenge gate were red and blue each. The humpback bridge across Murou River to the temple was vividly orenge. I had stayed there for only half an hour, but I liked the beauty of the temple. The next destination was Akame Shijuhachitaki Waterfalls in Mie Pref.. Shijuhachi means "many", not 48 in Japanese language in this case. I visited there more than 25 years ago with my family. I didn't remember ...

... been able to actually visit a few of these places. They offer something the bigger cities don't. And that's, well, I guess... Awesome?<br><br>But first up is Osaka. Its not really a 'small town', In fact, it's the second largest city in Japan. If Tokyo is all bright lights, and Kyoto is all about sophistication, Osaka is about nightlife. Loud, Merry nightlife. Osaka is a Japanese Vegas. Yet it lacks the tackiness associated with Vegas and instead teams up with all things Asian ...

... l tre*sures *nd world herit*ge sites, most of which within the be*utiful N*r* P*rk. The town is *lso, like Miy*jim*, overrun by free ro*ming, docile deer who *re respected by the people of N*r* *nd considered messengers of the Shinto gods. I person*lly, consider them nothing more th*n tot*l dudes. One look *round the p*rk, however, *nd its not h*rd to see why the deer find the pl*ce so *ppe*ling. Despite its *we inspiring n*tur*l be*uty, forested regions home to trees liter*lly hundreds ...

... Shogun*te. Its dec*dently l*id out with gold-le*fed p*intings *nd wood c*rvings, *nd h*s wh*t *re c*lled 'Nighting*le Floors' which *re like *n *ncient house *l*rm system. The floorbo*rds *re so tightly bound together th*t they m*ke high pitched 'singing' sounds when stepped on, me*nt to w*rn the residents of *n intruder. Prob*bly m*de the trip for * secret midnight ice cre*m binge kind of tricky.<br><br>AND th*t is th*t, for now. Until l*ter,<br><br>R*ch*el Out.<br>

... finally in Japan! Lyndsay had taken several years of Japanese lessons in high school. A year in Korea, only about 200km from Japan, had so far seen no utility in all that learning. Finally she could show off her stuff. We needed to catch a train from Osaka to Kyoto, where we would be spending the next three nights. Lyndsay proudly walked up to the counter of the train ticket kiosk, readied herself for a nice little ...

... apt. while i`m up there i hear police sirens. i look out my window and there are two patrol cars outside. WHOOPS! so just to see what i did, i changed my clothes(as if that would change my appearance enough in case there was a security camera) and took the elevator downstairs. as i come out two officers start asking me questions to which i just reply "gomennesai. nihongo hanasemasen!" which means i don`t speak japanese. later i realize that i`m a dork ...