Promised you pictures that you don't normally see and this cute fellow is a temple "gate keeper". Carved in wood and painted in gold this fellow is probably over 100 years old.

This last week has really flown by, and in 4 days I will be back in the US. But tomorrow we go to see the last sumo match of the season. I am so excited as Kotooshu, the big guy from Bulgaria (big and cute and tall and handsome and narry an inch of fat on him) has done great this last bascho. He beat the yokosuna in one of the most exciting matches of the year. Tomorrow there is really nothing to descide as Assashoriu has already won, but thats okay. I might get another doll. Did I mention I collect sumo dolls?

Sallie, Roy and I have been going out to eat just about every night. Tonight I had tofu salad which is delicious. Going to eat in the States just isnt going to be the adventure it is here.
First we order food from pictures on a menu as most menus are only in Japanese (as it should be) Tonight Roy ordered a noodle dish and it was cold, and had squid in it. He didn't mind the squid but the cold noodles wasn't to his liking.
I remember going to eat and ordering a sandwich once It turned out to be a potato salad sandwich with catsup. Actually it really wasn't bad. They also have strawberry cream sandwiches. Squid ink is popular pizza choice here in Japan. It looks just about like you would think it looks, black. ( I haven't tried Squid Ink anything)
One of my favorite places to go get a good cheap meal in Japan is at 7/11. Yep, same folks as in the US, but not the same food. We stop every Tuesday night after pottery. Charla got corn soup in a can and it smells absolutely delcious. You can get canned goods either hot or cold. They also sell bento boxes which is tidpits of assorted foods. I am going to miss 7/11 also.

This is our famous Kintai Bridge, and about the only tourist attraction in Iwakuni. It was build in the 600s but has been rebuild often, and actually most of the wooden part has been all replaced since we came here. 

Every home in Japan has a garden, it might be in pots along side the road, it might be a 3 foot square under a window, but they all have one thing in common, they are beautiful
Roy and I found this beautiful pink plant along side the road. It just made us smile and Roy took a picture.
I have so many beautiful pictures of Japan that I would like to share so as I download them I will share them with you.

We are in a hotel now, out of quarters and just waiting for the big day. My friend told me that I will probably be bored. I don't think so, I have to much to do, friends to visit, a house to deal with, and the motorhome to get into shape. 

Chogen no Sato is a reconstructed antique village in the mountains above Yamaguchi and we were lucky to arrive at the same time they were having the Momiji matsuri (fall leaves?) festival.
This village was originally built in 800 something by the same Buddhist monk who settled Mt Koya. He came looking for lumber to build more temples.
There are craft shops to make paper crafts, bamboo crafts and much more. We watched them make paper and Roy was fasinated by the wood shop, ofcourse.
The trip was sponsored by the City of Iwakuni so half the participates were Japanese and there was one family from the Netherlands. Now picture this, they had us singing songs on the bus, some in Japan and some in English. We sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and I think in all the years, I never knew there was more than one verse to Twinkle Twinkle. There are three. We also sang Row Row Row Your Boat in round, but it was pretty bad.
It was a great trip and we enjoyed the new friends that we made. 

Anyone want to guess what this is?

Steam locomotives are still in use in Japan but mostly for the tourist trade. We took this train to the apple farm. What a nostalgic trip that was, just listening to the whistle brought back so many memories.

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Apple Picking

We had a great time picking apples. Fuji apples are large and sweet and beautiful. Japanese like to peel off the skin on apples so when you arrive at the farm, they give you a knife and a bag. You can eat all you want off the trees, but you have to buy the take home ones. I bought 4 and they cost 730 yen, about $7.00