Are you shocked to see jack-o-lanterns in Japan? I certainly am! Nonetheless, they are everywhere! Even though there is no trick-or-treating here, they like to do a lot of Halloween decorating.Last weekend, we each stayed with a Japanese family and experienced what everyday life is like for most Japanese families. The first thing my family did when they picked me up was to go to a koto lesson. A koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument with 13 strings. The woman showing me how to play is blind, but is well-known for her koto playing.
I spent the evening with my host family eating an incredible homemade meal of sushi. They live in a house that is both traditional and modern. Some rooms have tatami mats, made from rice straw, on the floor. Tatami mats are very special and you do not wear shoes or slippers when you walk on them. Tatami rooms are called washitsu and have sliding doors.
I had to remember to take my shoes off before entering their house and put on slippers. When I used the bathroom, I had to take off my house slippers and put on special bathroom slippers! It was a little confusing.
The next day my family took me on a drive all the way around the Sukurajima volcano island. We could see a small cloud of steam and ash over the volcano as we took the ferry over to the island. (After we got back to Tokyo, we discovered that later that afternoon it had spouted off quite a bit of steam and ash.)
The next day my family took me on a drive all the way around the Sukurajima volcano island. We could see a small cloud of steam and ash over the volcano as we took the ferry over to the island. (After we got back to Tokyo, we discovered that later that afternoon it had spouted off quite a bit of steam and ash.)
My host mother (in the above photo) is a teacher on the other side of Mount Sakurajima (behind us). I have given her some of the cranes you made to give to her students. She was excited to have the photos I had brought of you. She will show them to her class and soon you will be known by many Japanese!
Last night we were back in Tokyo and I walked across the busiest crosswalk in the world. It was crazy, but thrilling to be surrounded by a huge crowd of people.
The Land of the Rising Sun is a beautiful country with a tolerant and sensitive people. We always knew there were many differences between our two cultures, but now we realize there are also many similarities. Our students laugh and joke the same, our teachers work hard and love children the same. A friendship has definitely been started and we have extended our hands (and bows) to one another in a desire to increase our understanding of each other.
The Land of the Rising Sun is a beautiful country with a tolerant and sensitive people. We always knew there were many differences between our two cultures, but now we realize there are also many similarities. Our students laugh and joke the same, our teachers work hard and love children the same. A friendship has definitely been started and we have extended our hands (and bows) to one another in a desire to increase our understanding of each other. 
There is a tradition in Japan that when you say goodbye you wave until you can’t see each other anymore. We would always hear our group coordinator, Naoko-san, urging us to keep waving as we drove away from a group of Japanese. She would be watching out the window and would be calling to us, “Still waving, still waving, still waving, still waving” and we would wave and wave until we either turned a corner or just couldn’t see our well-wishers anymore. 
On my last evening in Japan, I will begin to bow deeply and wave long and steady to the kind people and wonderful culture that we have found in this country. During this three week journey we’ve seen, done and learned so much. Even so, we also know there is still more to learn and share – so instead of “Goodbye”, “Mata aimasho” or “we shall meet again” seems more fitting.
Still waving, still waving, still waving, still waving….
Yikes! There are fish everywhere. I smell fish in restaurants, on the streets, in the hallways of the hotel. You see fish at every meal served in a million different ways. You taste fish when you least suspect it - like on the pizza I ate tonight. Oh well, I guess if I can't beat 'em, I'll join 'em!
Japanese money looks very different from ours. Each one of the paper bills has an important historical person on it. They have two coins with holes in them!
Sometimes when the Japanese translate their language into English it sounds a little funny. This is a sign on the front of a grocery store:
Today we had a delightful day visiting a nearby elementary school. At first the students were shy, but they soon warmed-up to us and were very excited to have us at their school. This is a K-6 school with 550 students.
Older students lead groups of younger ones to school.
An early morning job done by students:
Before classes begin, all students play outside for a short time. The playground has a beautiful nature area with big rocks, trees and a small pond for quiet exploration.
Flowering plants are everywhere and are used for beauty and to keep a connection with nature.
Story area in the library:
Some beautiful student artwork:
Working hard:
This girl is cleaning the shoe boxes. Everyone takes off their shoes and puts on slippers before entering the school. The children wear masks during cleaning or if they are sick.
Even classrooms have recyling bins. Like junior high and elementary students, these students also help to clean the school.
Do you recognize the books that I found in their library? 
We met these high schoolers on the train at about 9:30 at night. Most students get up early to be at school by 7:40, go to school until 4:00, do after school clubs or sports until 6:00 and then do even more activities until 8 or 9:00 at night. And they still have energy to text!!!
Well, no texting for me. I'm ready to hit the hay! Sayonara until next time!
We listened to presentations by the school adminstration and then had a tour of the school. This school is a training school for university education students and also gives demonstrations to other area teachers throughout the year. It has 605 students and 44 staff members.
Math class:
English class:
Bulletin board: 
Before entering the bathrooms the students must step onto the blue (for boys) and pink (for girls) platforms, take off the slippers they are wearing in the school and put on the blue and pink slippers.
The hallway has small wooden tables with potted plants on them as a reminder of the tranquility in beauty. 
The library - yea!
The librarian is making a banner for the assembly the students are putting on for us.
When coming into the school the students take off their shoes, place them in these cubbies and put on slippers. Notice the umbrella racks - you see these everywhere. You can borrow an umbrella and leave it at the next umbrella rack.
The students were very excited to meet us. They were anxious to try out their English. Kids of all ages always give us the peace sign!
The students had prepared an all-school assembly for us and did skits, judo, karate and traditional Japanese archery, calligraphy and some origami! We sang the national anthems of both of our countries. It was all very, very nice.
Karate demonstraton:
Judo demonstration:
Origami:
The students serve lunch to each other in their classroom:
The students and the teachers eat together in their classrooms.
At 2:00 every afternoon all students spend 20 minutes cleaning the school. They sweep inside and outside the school, scrub sinks, bathrooms, wipe down the floors, empty the garbage, work in the greenhouse and other janitorial type of jobs. They seem to have a lot of fun doing it.
Then it was time to leave. Once again, they rolled out the red carpet for us. The entire school lined up and as we walked past them we shook hands, gave high fives, and peace signs and all the while the band was playing in the background with great vibrato. It had been an incredible day. I think we all left the school feeling like we had just made 600 new friends. 
This is Naoka-san - our group coordinator while we are in Kagoshima.
All the kids give us peace signs! 
Here are some kids having fun on a Sunday afternoon.
McDonalds is a universal language. In Tokyo they also have shrimp sandwiches at McDonalds.
The Japanese recycle everything! At McDonalds we had to separate every part of our garbage for recycling. 
Vending machines are everywhere. Even so, you don't see people in public eating or drinking because they consider it impolite. Maybe that is why you do not see any litter or garbage cans.
Here is a photo from the kabuki theatre performance we saw on Friday. She was acting and there were musicians singing and playing instruments in the background. 
A traditional Shinto wedding procession.
A little girl wearing her finest for the wedding.
