Since the last post we have seen so many things it’s a little hard to catch up quickly. For the moment, I’ll just have to give you just a few details.  Look the photo page over.  It seems I can only add a couple of lines of description there.

Last week I went to the onsen(japanese baths/spa) with my two new friends, Chi

& Emi.  It was wonderful.......beautiful baths .....outdoor area which was like a beautiful japanese style garden with various pools. No photos there as everyone

is naked-no exceptions!  But inside there are relaxation rooms of all types.  I had a shiatsu massage and we ate in the food area. See us in our edo-style yukatas!

Phil has arrived and after a day or so of rest and walking around our area we ventured further on foot and actually walked all the way to Shinjuku.  The boys came with us and we ate at a restaurant where you purchase tickets from a vending machine which are collected by a server and the food is brought out. It was very reasonable (¥700-¥1000/$7-10) and good.

We discovered that trevor is the pachinko master and “owned” everyone! ¥25000 worth of winnings later (he spent¥1000)and we were back on the  street.  Came across a long line of teen girls all dressed crazy with bags full of wrapped gifts.  Soon to discover they were there paying ¥3500 each to see a few of their fav bands. The gifts were to give the “rock stars”.

On our walking tour we walked through a great little public park with a running rock creek where mothers bring their kids to play.  Wish we had one of these at home!  Too bad we can’t since someone in the US would skin their knee and want to sue the city for as much as they could get.

That brings me to the sign I posted a photo of at one of the gardens we visited.  It read:

please mind your step.when crossing be careful of footing sufficiently. understand beforehand because the responsibility cannot be assured because of the accident in case and so on.

We need a few more of these signs in LA.  

Anyway.....we’re off to Nikko on the Shinkansen this morning and will have lots more to tell when we get back. Except that then we’ll be off to Kamakura to see Daibutstu and check out the japanese waves! (we picked up a mag on local surf spots).

Mata-ne!