Update on the past couple of weeks on Tokyo.

Weekend: July 2-3
I went on a weekend trip with my family to the Nagano prefecture. So sad I didn't take my camera! Oh well, my host Mom took some pictures for me, and here they are.





We went on the trip with a group of friends that my host Mom knew from middle school. When my host mom explained it to me at first, I was perplexed. Apparently, they have kept in touch for over fifty years and go on trips as a group twice or three times per month. And they knew each other from a class in 6th grade, and they have never taken a class together in high school, college, etc... If anyone asked me how my middle school buddies are doing, where they are, I would have no idea.

We visited Zenkouji, Togakuji, and Obuse. The main course of the visit was Togakuji, a temple with over 1000 years of history. We stayed at a hotel attached to the temple, known as Gokui, a building also with around 1000 years of history. The entire weekend was luxurious. Dinner was served with 10 courses including fish (obviously), various types of sobas (Japanese style noodle), miso soup, shrimps, crabs, etc... Sumptuous meals throughout the trip.

The shrines were somewhat interesting. The reason I said that is I have visited many temples around Tokyo and Kyoto, and as for the ones I visited last weekend, they were not unique beyond the fact that they were very very old. The surroundings and courses of the shrines are also similar. Quite a little hike to the top, but not too difficult. One thing to mention though, is that the Cedars around the shrine were all as old as the temple. That made quite a sublime sight.




Skip to Wednesday this week. I visited the Yasukuni shrine with Drisana, Josh, and Ruth. This is the same controversial shrine in the center of Tokyo that draws the ire of Chinese and Korean politicians every year when the Prime Minister of Japan visits to honor dead Japanese soldiers, many of whom were the same war criminals tried by the WWII War Tribunal.

The names of the soldiers were engraved on light bulbs around the shrine. It was in all... interesting. But I can't help but say that I felt a twinge of nationalism. For the Americans reading this post, remember that this shrine is erected by the same ultra right-wing Japanese politicians who argue that Japan was actually forced by the US to attack Pearl Harbor because the US cut off Japan's power supplies... Yea, ok. Below are some more pictures from the shrine.