I awoke late this morning, so I hurried to shower and eat before it was time to leave for the day’s outing. Before we could depart, Masae told me that today was a special holiday and we needed to go with her mother to visit her father's grave. The small cemetery was just a short walk from the house and when we reached the headstones I saw that flowers and offerings of food had been placed on the headstones. Masae's mother went to work clearing away dead flowers, spoiled food, and burned sticks of incense. She then placed fresh flowers in the vases and lit fresh sticks of incense to place in the holders. I was invited to participate in the process, so I did as I was shown pouring water into the vases and on top of the headstones. I explained what a cemetery in the US was like and how we typically bury the deceased beneath the ground in a coffin. In Japan there is such a shortage of land space that there just isn't room for this so most people are cremated and their ashes are placed inside the headstone. Entire families are placed together in one small area. Each hour I spend in Japan seems to reveal a new layer of the culture to me, and at this point it was barely 9am!
Masae's childhood home in Soja
Front garden
Family cemetery plot
We walked back to the house and as we piled in the car I had no idea where we were going, but Toshiaki was at the helm and obviously had a plan in mind. We drove for a little over an hour and crossed a spectacular bridge, which I imagine is sort of like the Golden Gate Bridge of Western Honshu. Finally, we parked the car and piled out to explore Yashima Temple (number 84 of 88 on the Shikoku Island pilgrimage). I wandered around and snapped photos including one of a badger holding a baby that was wearing an actual beanie on its head.
Entrance to the temple
Many buddhas
Another of the many buildings on the temple grounds
The badger with a baby
Main shrine building
Some sort of raccoon/owl that is somehow linked to this shrine
At one point we stopped to look out over the city at the base of the hill and Toshiaki handed me a clay disk. Having no idea what to do with it, I stepped back to observe others hurling these disks over the railing and towards the city below. Well, when in Japan, do what the other Japanese people are doing. Everyone was impressed at my excellent throwing skills and since my disks caught the wind and carried far I am supposed to have good luck. Perhaps it was working because I was feeling much better about this day than the one before.
Masae chucking her talisman over the ledge
Kahori getting a little help from her dad
View of the city from above
The beautiful ocean
Just when I thought we were headed back to the car we came across the New Yashima Aquarium…the perfect distraction on a VERY hot summer day. This aquarium was smaller than most I have visited, but was a fun amusement for Kahori. She greatly enjoyed looking at the fish, manatees, sealion, and other underwater creatures. Masae and Toshiaki were having a great time too—Masae with her camera in hand and Toshiaki showing Kahori underwater organisms. The grand finale to our visit was the dolphin show. We all squished onto the bleachers in front of two large tanks and waited for the show to begin. Masae bought us shaved ice (heaven in a cup when it’s 90 degrees outside) and we settled in to watch the action. I have to say that was the most entertaining marine mammal show I have ever seen! The Japanese girls emceeing the show and training the dolphins were a riot (and over the top with their dramatics)!
Sea turtle
Looking at sea creatures
I have no clue what this is, but it is pretty icky!
Mr. Blowfish saying hello (just for you Kristen!)
Masae enjoying the aquarium
Beautiful jellies
Sparkly fish
A happy manatee
Kahori waiting for the dolphin show to begin
The funny dolphin trainers
Over the top drama!
As we headed back down the hill, we stopped at an adorable traditional noodle restaurant for udon noodles. While waiting in line a guy standing behind me asked if I was an exchange student too. He was traveling with two friends who were at the start of their stay in Japan. I was a little timid about trying the soup, not knowing what was in it, but the noodles and soup were so delicious. I even joined the others and slurped my soup. Kahori was very disappointed that she slept through the noodles and as we left she said to her grandma, “I eat udon noodles?”. Awwww…
The fabulous noodle restaurant
Masae preparing the ginger for our noodle soup
A big bowl of udon noodles--so delicious!
Slurp, slurp, yum!Toshiaki seemed to be full of surprises. On the way home he stopped at a lookout point so we could see the entire expanse of the Seto Ohashi Bridge we had driven across earlier in the day. It just so happened that a wedding was taking place during our visit so I snapped a few photos of the newly-weds and their wedding guests. We continued our trip home and stopped just off the bridge at a rest stop to see the bridge from another perspective and to take a few more photos. I made a quick stop at the bathroom and outside found a poster of Japan’s most wanted. Hilarious!
The Seto Ohashi Bridge
Love locks decorate the fence around the lookout point.
Newlyweds!
An incredible sunset over Shikoku Island
Stopping below the bridge for a different perspective
Posing in front of the bridge
A cross section of the bridge support structure
Japan's most wanted!Our final stop of the night was a fantastic sushi restaurant where I thoroughly enjoyed crab salad, corn salad, and tempura shrimp rolls! The restaurant even had a shikansen (speedy little train) that delivered our orders right to our table. It was amusing to see Kahori eating sushi with her little chopsticks. Finally she gave up and tried to stuff an entire piece of corn salad roll into her mouth without much success. This kid is definitely starting to grow on me! Masae and I spent the evening looking at photos and catching up until almost midnight. Things are certainly improving here and I am actually looking forward to tomorrow’s trip to Hiroshima (another unexpected surprise).
I love sushi in America...let's see what it looks like in Japan!
Watching selections of sushi go by on the conveyor belt.
The sushi shikansen that delivered our orders! Too cool!
Is that cute or what?!
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