Today was filled with Temples, Castles, Shrines, and Restaurants. We walked close to 13,000 steps through magnificent Japanese Gardens and historic Kyoto streets. Tonight we dined in a rotating, 360 degree view, restaurant on top of the Righa Royal Hotel, our home for the last few days of the trip. Most of our lunches were random sushi or noodle shops. One was better than the other.
I thought I would share this with you, even though I am not happy about spying on children and grandchildren. This is probably a handy list just in case there are extreme circumstances that should be carefully monitored. This will help you look for the warning signs: sex, drugs, and suicide
Thank you USA Today. Click here
LOL = laugh(ing) out loud
GR8 = great
IRL = in real life
TYVM = thank you very much
IMHO = in my humble opinion
BRB = be right back
J/K = just kidding
L8R = later
NP = no problem
WYD= what you doing?
53X = sneaky way to type “sex”
KMS = kill myself
LH6 = let’s have sex
KYS = kill yourself
MOS = mom over the shoulder
POS = parent over shoulder
CD9 = code 9, parents around
GNOC = get naked on camera.
99 = parents are gone
WTTP = want to trade photos?
LMIRL = let’s meet in real life
1174 = meet at a party spot
IWSN = I want sex now
CU46 = see you for sex
FWB = friends with benefits
ADR = what’s your address
MPFB = my personal f*** buddy
PAL= parents are listening
TWD = texting while driving
GYPO = get your pants off
Our tour group went to a workshop today which is dedicated to preserving the living art of Gokayama Washi paper making. We learned how the paper is made and then we created our very own post cards. I posted various stages of us hand making the paper, then decorating them.
Gokayama is an area within the city of Nanto in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
One of the instructors was a young gal from Rhode Island. I did a short interview with her to find out how she liked living in Japan, especially in a small town.
A new type of mask to keep you clean and healthy.
Our Japanese tour guide said many people in her country wear face masks because they have allergies, or they don’t want to spread their head cold germs. That’s pretty considerate. I thought they wore face masks because they didn’t want to catch colds from everyone else.
In any case, a new start-up in Brooklyn, NY, is inventing a face mask that doesn’t have to be constantly replaced. It also does a good job in filtering pollution. The 0202 face mask has a white headpiece with a clear plastic shield so you can see the user’s face.
The O2O2 circulates air around the lower half of your face using the two fans mounted on either side. This eliminates that sweaty feeling. The mask is said to feel like wearing a pair of glasses, nothing heavier. The circulation of the air inside the mask is designed to keep outside contaminants away from your nose and mouth.
The O2O2 will cost $100. If you want to read more about this new invention, click here.
Meanwhile, more photos from Takayama.
Entering the Sunday Morning Market
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We randomly selected this restaurant for lunch. It turned out to be a popular choice.
It never takes Eliot too long to adjust to any new culture. He likes to assimulate immediately.
We arrived in Takayama today. We took two trains from Tokyo. It was a very easy trip and very comfortable. Of course, we had a tour guide leading the way.
The minute we got here we went on a walking tour of the Takayama Festival Float Exhibition Hall. This is regarded as one of three most beautiful festivals in Japan. Here are some of the floats.
I decided to practice my selfies.
More gossip tomorrow!
We passed this odd looking sculpture in Tokyo a few times in the last few days. I finally got an explanation as to what it is.
“Plopped atop Tokyo’s Asahi Beer building is the famous kin no unchi, Japanese for “Golden Turd.” (Locals also call it the unchi biru, aka “poop building.”) The 300-ton stainless steel sculpture designed by French architect Philippe Stark was meant to look like foam rising from a beer mug. Ah, well”
Photo by Eliot Hess
We went to Nikko today, a small city in the mountains, north of Tokyo. That’s where the famous Shinto shrine was established in 1617. All Shinto shrines are meant for happy times. The shrines were magnificent structures and the grounds were beautifully landscaped.
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Time For Lunch
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Candid Shots
Eliot shot this photo during a few second clearing. The fog was intense.
8,000 feet up
HandL phone case makes it to Mt. Fuji.
A visit to the Mt. Fuji Shinto
I dropped in to say hello
Just outside our breakfast window. Dreamy.
One of the largest roller coasters in Japan
Surprise, surprise. Eliot and I are being featured in a TV special on “How To Eat Sushi” which will appear on NHK TV Japan in a few weeks. We were having lunch at a tiny sushi restaurant (name is on video) just steps away from Japan’s most sacred Buddhist Temple, when Eliot whispers to me, “They are taping us.”
I was so involved in eating the most delicious sushi that I had no idea what he was saying. Then I looked up and saw cameras all round us. The TV station, NHK (official English name: Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Japan’s national public broadcasting organization, was taping a special on “How To Eat Sushi” and we are going to be one of the featured guests.
They interviewed us on our views on eating sushi and continued to tape us during our meal. They were a little shocked when I whipped out my DigiDame microphone and started to tape my own show.
Remember, I am new at this. My recording is quite rudimentary but that’s the nature of the video portion of my personal blog. All in all, it was a very exciting adventure on our first day in Tokyo.
The hostess
The restaurant
Hello from Tokyo! We made it. It took us 24 hours to get here, but we made it without any drama. Everything went smoothly.
I had my first tushy cleaning experience tonight. I have been hearing about these butt cleaning toilets for years, but I never actually experienced one. Now, I don’t think I can’t live without it.
Whitney and Fredrick, who lived in Japan for three months, told me that everyone uses toilets with tushy cleaners here. Public bathrooms have them too. They warned me. Once your tush gets cleaned with a hot water spray, that hits just the right spot, you get hooked. I just don’t feel like toilet paper alone will do the complete job anymore.
My friend Steve gave us a tush cleaner accessory years ago, but we never used it. Now we are anxious to try it. Other friends, actually refurbished their bathrooms with Toto cleaning toilets. They all claim they have the cleanest rear ends in town. They are probably right.
I can’t wait for my next trip to the bathroom.
