Summer 2006

English Breakfast: This summer, some of the teachers from England were feeling homesick,; so they talked their friends who own a restaurant into letting them cook an English breakfast.; Everyone enjoyed it, because we ate it at night, which is the time for greasy English food.

Toide Tanabata: Toide's Star Festival; Andy and Francie; Once a year, two lovers separated on opposite sides of the Milky Way get together, so people hang wishes on bamboo for them.

Toga Leaver's Weekend: Farewell party in Toga; Augie makes a funny face.; Sarah eats her complimentary yaki-soba.

Zuiryû Temple: National Treasure Zuiryû Temple in Takaoka.; If you ever see a temple with a roof like this one, think, "Oh, a Zen temple," since that's what it is.; Meet the Beetles.; (And snails, I guess.); There's supposed to be a cool chandelier here, but not today.; Spider.; I lived in Takaoka for a long time without seeing its National Treasure.

Nara: Kôfuku Temple in Nara; Nan'en Hall.; The deer of Nara, lounging about.; This guy's scared.; But Sarah's fearless.; Well, mostly fearless.; She's out.; Eww, deer slobber.; Oh well, most of the map is still there.; I think these girls were being kind of mean by giving the deer their fan and taking it away.; Eastern Great Temple.; As usual, Japan fails to enforce the separation of church and state.; The Great Buddha of Nara.; "Enjoy Georgia."

Iga Ueno: Matsuo Bashô, haiku master.; Map of Iga Ueno, the ninja city.; Bashô again.; Ninja or X-Men?; Throwing stars.; Haiseiden, dedicated to true haiku masters.; Like Bashô.; Ueno Castle.; Castle walls and baseball field.; Looking out over semi-rural Japan.

Ise: At the ryôkan (Japanese style bed & breakfast) in a yukata (light kimono).; Tsukiyomi-no-miya, Shrine Palace of the Evening Moon.; One of the priests gave us a free picture book about it.; The chickens of Outer Ise Shrine.; One of the shrines of Ise.

Futami-ga-ura: Azuchi-Momoyama Land Park's fake castle.; At Futami Bay.; Oh Japan, where would you be without Disney?; These two rocks are totally married.