Today for Japanese1010 we learned calligraphy. We practiced from 1:30 until 4:00. Pretty sure I can never look at どんぐり (acorn) again without feeling a twinge in my writing shoulder.

College

So I've been up here in Logan for two weeks now. I've decided college isn't that great.

Right now all I want to do is go back to Japan. I'd even teach English. But I don't want to get married and move back to America and have to teach here.

Maybe I'll become a mortician.

Tokyo (Part II)- Studio Ghibli Museum

You can only take pictures outside of the museum, hence the few pictures.  Just know, the inside was fabulous and you're totally missing out.
The bus!
Becca, Rachel and I posing in front of the kind robot.
A view of the museum from the roof (where the robot is).

Nara

This basically sums up Nara.  Laugh!
This deer was waiting outside the store, don't buy things from outside displays in Nara.
The largest wooden building i've ever seen.  It houses the Doubutsu (Great Buddha).
A fuzzy picture of the Doubutsu.
This scary-looking statue is outside.  Supposedly if you rub him and then rub the corresponding part on your body it won't hurt anymore.  I tried it on my elbow (I banged in really hard at the hostel) it didn't work, but elbow bruises are hard to fix.

Kyoto

I've been back for a long time now, but I miss Japan a lot.  I fixed my iphoto (mostly) so here are some pictures of Kyoto.

The Kyoto station is very well designed.

We went to a parade (the hollyhock parade?) I wouldn't want to be in charge of the huge umbrella, it looks heavy.
Lots of men and a cow.
A horseman at the parade.
Rebecca and I at the Inari shrine.  Becca is carrying a shopping bag with her new kimono in it.  Laugh.
My favorite shrine!  These torii gates go on forever.  It would be bad if you were inside and there was a fire . . .
We came here on accident, but I was really glad we did.  It's really a nice place. Around the temple is a really old Japanese garden.  And we got sakura ice cream.

This is the kinkakuji (golden temple).  The taxi on the way here terrifying.  He was a crazy driver.

My iphoto crashed.  So until I recover my pictures (because I'd better freaking be able to recover them), I don't have any for you.  And the internet doesn't work here.  So unless I have internet in Fukuoka then it's sayounara until I get back to Utah.  Sigh.  If I know you then I'll give you a present.

I'm not ready to come back yet! 

Gifu

This is our room at the AMAZING ryokan (the Taga). 
This is the view from our window.
Nagara river.
Another cheesy touristy head-thing.
Laugh!
After the Ukai (cormorant fishing) Rebecca and I were cold.  So we shared Dad's jacket.  Seconds after this picture was taken a couple took one of us too.  Then walked away.  Laughing.