Sharing the Afternoon at School

The teacher serves the meal to the students, and eats with the students.

In the classroom, the students are also enjoying the meal. The lunch uniform is so CUTE!

We are treated to school lunch. Students all eat school lunch.

We enjoy the day's menu!

After lunch, the students clean the classrooms. They are taught early to take care of things that they use.

After lunch, we are given some free time to tour the building. These students are happy to pose for pictures!

Principal's computer	Teachers' computers in office area
Computer in media center	15 older computers in lab

I don't think it's too nerdy to check out the computers during free time, do you?

After we stretched our legs, we had a brief question and answer time with key teachers and the administrators. We were able to do some comparisons between Japanese and American educational systems.

Ah ha! I'm not the only camera nut around!

After the discussion period, we shuffle (remember: the slipper shuffle!) to the gymnasium for a student concert and grade level discussion period. We are treated to beautiful student art work.

The fifth and sixth grade band performed several numbers. They were awesome! Remind me to play to video of the concert when I get home.

I had to look....music is music, no matter where you are!!

The time comes to leave the elementary school. We are not allowed to leave until we receive tea, fancy cakes, and the displayed artwork as gifts. What a fantastic visit! We will always carry the beautiful memories of the Yoshiwara Elementary School in our hearts.

Our Adventure at a Japanese Ryokan

Did I say adventure?!? Decide for yourself.....

After leaving the elementary school, we climb up and up, through winding roads and a gazillion mountain tunnels. Finally, we reach our destination. This unassuming building will....transform many of us in the group. We have arrived at Shuzenji Katsuragawa.

The staff is waiting for us, and leads us through the lush lobby.

Slippers were waiting for us as soon as we walked in. We had already been told no shoes OR slippers on the tatami mats.

We walked on into the beautiful, simple Japanese style room. The low table and chairs were ready to serve the guests tea and sweets. Later, the chairs and table will be moved to the side, and the futons will be in the center of the room for sleeping.

The paper panels on the windows slide aside to reveal a beautiful view.

We change into our yukatas, and pose. We're feeling ALMOST native!!

We scrunch down at the table and enjoy our tea and snacks.

I have been FORBIDDEN by my roommates to take my camera into the hot spring bath area. It is a public bath. In Japan, you wash and rinse well first at a small shower area, then plop into the bath. It's more like a hot tub, only NO ONE is wearing a swim suit. Thankfully, men are in a different room than ladies.

I guess I'm sneakier than they thought. This is the bath area...inside the building.

This is the bath area outside. The rocks and landscaping is awesome, and it is very private- we're on the 8th floor with tall bamboo fencing protecting our little bodies.

At the appointed hour, we do the slipper shuffle to our dining room. It is a tatami room, so we leave our slippers outside. We are seated on the floor in front of a fabulous feast!

The room is beautiful... and so are we in our yukatas.

It doesn't take long to discover the Karaoke machine on the stage! Syl Williams is the first brave soul to pick up a microphone.

This is an evening with lots of Kodak moments... or are they blackmail shots?

We have two women in Kimono serving us our meal and refreshments.

What a fabulous looking meal! But I didn't have a clue what most of it was. Maybe that was a good thing...

The meal takes forever to eat...there was always new courses of food placed in front of us... and we still haven't exactly mastered using hashi!

Eventually, almost everyone takes the stage. Remember, there's video documentation of this evening!

At last, we have released enough energy and tension, and they tell us to go to our rooms. Many of us head back up to the baths...

....then wait for a turn on the Chair of Wonderful Enjoyment! (you had to be there...) Then off to sweet dreams on our futons resting on tatami mats.