On the way to the next prefecture (or state) over, we stopped at a highway rest stop. Any crossings from the bus to the rest rooms were flagged by staff. On field trips, the kids are to wear similar outfits. Sure is easier to spot them!
I have to laugh... the eastern style toilets are remaining empty, as the people wait for the 2 western style ones. They usually have the icon on the outside at public restrooms to show which type it is. The floor ones I use if it is an absolute necessity. I notice that in newer places, like the airport, they have all western with one token eastern style. It did interest me that the Japanese will wait for a western style toilet.
This was the sign for the place we went. They even have a website, if you double click on the pic and look closer. The farmer studied agriculture at university in California and was able to speak reasonable English with me.We walked past some dogs. Looked like they were breeding dogs, too. Puppies and kittens run $800.00 and up here in Japan. It is probably far more lucrative than mikan producing!
The buses couldn't go down the steep switch-backs, so we got to walk down. Japanese students have to hold hands with a buddy.
This is William's best friend, Jowanzo. Jowanzo is going to move away in December. We are not looking forward to this, as it is going to break William's heart.
The trees were laden. This place had a great view of Sagami Bay.
Right before the grove, they made the kids line up by class. This is William's class, Lily (they are all flower names). Sensei Taniguchi is holding the sign, and you see Jowanzo's mom, Mayumi in the pink at the back.
The Japanese ladies wondered why I was taking a picture. This is a grave marker in the grove.
The little offerings were mikan. Appropriate!
The mikan were fairly sour, and it was hard to find a sweet, ripe tree. I showed everyone the trick I'd learned from American citrus farmers. Look for the tree that the animals are going to. That will be the sweetest tree. And it was!
William picking his own mikan. He loved to pick, but didn't want to eat. It was the rule that you could only pick what you would eat. And, like American farmers, they wanted excess in a bin, to control the pests from eating fallen fruit.
Traditional picnic under the mikan trees. William and I had sandwiches, but I was amazed at how amazing some of the food the Japanese brought. They spend a lot of time preparing their food!
William posing for mom. This is rare, he usually won't.
The boys found some old stumps, rolled them over and tormented the bugs they found.
These boys insisted on showing me all the grubs, and tried to gross me out. I grew up on a farm, laddies. NOT going to happen!
Then, it was time for exercise! They brought the big player all the way down to blare the music from. The kids had to do their little exercise routine. I thought that they had gotten enough running around just coming down the kilometer of steep hillside switch-backs!
Oh goodie, we're done! On the bus, there was singing. I didn't videotape the funniest one. There's one song they sing, and also play on melodians (blow through a keyboard). When they got to the part where in the melodian version there's a little musical ditty, they SANG the musical ditty! It was unexpected and cute and made everyone laugh.
The buses couldn't go down the steep switch-backs, so we got to walk down. Japanese students have to hold hands with a buddy.
This is William's best friend, Jowanzo. Jowanzo is going to move away in December. We are not looking forward to this, as it is going to break William's heart.
The trees were laden. This place had a great view of Sagami Bay.
Right before the grove, they made the kids line up by class. This is William's class, Lily (they are all flower names). Sensei Taniguchi is holding the sign, and you see Jowanzo's mom, Mayumi in the pink at the back.
The Japanese ladies wondered why I was taking a picture. This is a grave marker in the grove.
The little offerings were mikan. Appropriate!
The mikan were fairly sour, and it was hard to find a sweet, ripe tree. I showed everyone the trick I'd learned from American citrus farmers. Look for the tree that the animals are going to. That will be the sweetest tree. And it was! 
William picking his own mikan. He loved to pick, but didn't want to eat. It was the rule that you could only pick what you would eat. And, like American farmers, they wanted excess in a bin, to control the pests from eating fallen fruit.
Traditional picnic under the mikan trees. William and I had sandwiches, but I was amazed at how amazing some of the food the Japanese brought. They spend a lot of time preparing their food!
William posing for mom. This is rare, he usually won't.
The boys found some old stumps, rolled them over and tormented the bugs they found.
These boys insisted on showing me all the grubs, and tried to gross me out. I grew up on a farm, laddies. NOT going to happen!
Then, it was time for exercise! They brought the big player all the way down to blare the music from. The kids had to do their little exercise routine. I thought that they had gotten enough running around just coming down the kilometer of steep hillside switch-backs!
Oh goodie, we're done! On the bus, there was singing. I didn't videotape the funniest one. There's one song they sing, and also play on melodians (blow through a keyboard). When they got to the part where in the melodian version there's a little musical ditty, they SANG the musical ditty! It was unexpected and cute and made everyone laugh. 
No comments:
Post a Comment