TOKYO TIME!

Baby Mina has taken over the subway!

Brett found his new favorite hobby!

Marie learns she loves Pokemon!

Later we visit the Metropolitan Government building for a free view of the city.

Tourists get a little nutty with taking Mina's photo.

It started with one foreign woman, then another... then another... and then another...

They seemed really nice, but I had enough. Mina was good and just sat while they laughed at ook pictures. If I have learned one thing, it's Asian people LOVE babies. Love them. That's a good stereo-type right? But she got tired of being adored and let a stinker so they would get scared off.

So we took her to the bathroom...

where they left no confusion on how exactly to use the facilities.

Shibuya crossing. The largest crossing in the world.

Where's B-man?

I made the smiths cross this like 5 times so I could get this picture. 

Nicely done!

Then I took my neice shopping at this righteous store!

...while Mike found a store of his own...

but of course, Marie needs to be in the picture.

[SIGH] back to the Hotel.

I love you New Sanno.

The next day we headed out to Akihabara. The electronics district.

I have to note how fun this is to go to Tokyo with different people. Everyone had a different destination and I loved all of them. Yes, even Pokemon (my poor niece kept apologizing for her choice, but it was fun!).

Mike found a robotics version of Micheals.

With this swell little robotic dinosaur.

Then we indulged all of us at the Kitchen district where we found pottery, cooking toys,

and the place where they make the fake food you find infront of all Japanese restaurants.

I can't believe how much we packed in because then Steph found this Aqaurium to go to.

The girls enjoyed some ice cream and a little spin on the merry go round.

Then Maysen and Mike took front row seats at the dolphin show!

We spent a while running around in the tunnel of sharks and manta rays.

And enjoyed another show, until suddenly...

Marie was asked to perform with the sea lion!

Oh Marie you did a great job!

This is the product of telling Marie to smile for the camera.

Whew! What a day! I can't believe how much we did.

I would like to dedicate this post to all the times we had to turn around and walk extra miles because I am a terrible navigator. It doesn't matter how many times I take the subway, I'll never get oriented. At least we got to see lots of ... subways and roads... but at least we got to our destinations!

The Smiths in Japan (2) Osoreazan

Stephanie sees shells by the sea shore.

Then she stopped to watch her favorite show.

Mike giving  me a Pirate face! ARGH!

The reason we come to Ship Wreck beach- SEA GLASS!

Also, Stephanie and I decided to start collecting sand from the beaches we go to. If only we had gotten it from Gulf Shores! Maybe Hawaii?...

Later in Mutsu City we found a Baskin Robbins and Marie got Soda Ice Cream. Good choice, cutie.

Here is Stephanie documenting everything. Not a fan of Japanese food, but she stayed smiling all the while... starving, but smiling!

The destination of the day was the 3rd Holiest site in Japan, Osorezan. It lays at the tip of Japan in a volcanic mountain range. It is consider as something similar to the River Styx, where the deceased cross a river into the after life. I have heard that after death the person walks for 50 days and then comes to this river. If they are good, they can get across. If they were not, then they are lost down the river.
It's hard to understand all the doctrine though. I'm sure people feel the same way about the Mormon Church. You can't just google anything. You have to really go to the source and study, so it's hard to know exactly what to believe.

You have to imagine, this place is so eerie. Buddhists pilgrimage from afar to honor their dead...

And then there is Mina chan. Running around, squealing, screaming, laughing.

 Oh Mina! Have some respect!

"What are all these rocks for again?"

Pin wheels honor children who died before birth or during labor.

The lake here is similar to the Great Salt Lake and nothing lives in it-

That's why its the river of the dead.

Glad we don't believe in demons greeting you in the afterlife.


But who doesn't love a picture on a bridge? Even if it's the bridge to...

The Smiths In Japan

We tricked the Smiths into coming to visit us! I don't know how- but THEY CAME! YIPPEE!

Actually, in 2009 when we first learned that we would be headed to Japan Maysen (then only 10) said she wanted to come visit. And they came! It's so cool. I've had many people say they would like to come, but the Smiths you can count on!

Mike, Steph, and Maysen had to be adventurous.  I wrote them a 3 page email on how to get from the Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Tokyo Station and to the Bullet train 3 hours up to Misawa. I met them at the train station 30 minutes from my house. I was pretty stoked considering we don't have cell phones. Mike did call me from a Japanese pay phone in the morning and  it was like Christmas morning! I don't know how to convey it, but when you have visitors when you live far away............ it's AMAZING!

It was about midnight for them when I made them eat lunch at one of our favorite little hole-in-the-wall joints, Cheese Roll!

Stephanie enjoying some greasy yakisoba.

Then I took them back to the house to sleep until Brett came home about 5pm.

They were so impressive with handling their jet lag. They only slept that afternoon and then managed to get up early each morning and retire "semi-early" at night.

The next day we took them to the fish market where we found a ball pit and played funny Japanese arcade games.

Then we hopped over to Shirahama beach in Hachinohe.

It was a pretty classically over-caste day. But still warm enough to spend a few hours here.

Jet lagged and still happy!

Finally, someone else to take our picture together!

Awesomeness:

Craziness:

Sweetness:

Happiness:

I spent a lot of time getting Mina's naps in, which I didn't mind.  It was cool to let Brett have time with his family and MARIE is in love with Maysen. 2 months later Marie still talks about "my cousin Maysen who brings her own toys," referring to the DS Maysen  plays. Or if Marie sees something pretty, occasionally she'll say, "My cousin would LOVE this."

Having the Smiths was awesome. They put up with us taking them to the Sea Gull shrine. This is a gross, yet sacred place where seagulls flock to hatch their eggs. It would be cute if you didn't have to use an umbrella to avoid being crapped on. Yes, I said crapped on.

Birds, birds, birds.

My favorite parenting lesson from here is that sometimes it's necessary to lie. Marie got a pink heart-shaped ball  from the buffett we had just ate at. When I opened the car door at the seagull shrine it rolled out and a seagull snatched it and began to eat it. Not only did I lose Marie's toy I think I killed a seagull. When I gasped, Marie asked why, and all I could come up with was that the Seagull was eating Mina's diaper that rolled out. Yeah, I'm a crappy liar too.

The next day we took them too........

HORSE PARK!!!!!!!

Try to find the horse in this picture:

Steph was giving me the kind of picture I love!

Then I took Maysen and Stephanie too my day care to help me teach my class of 21 4 year-olds. Last year I only had 12, so it was lovely to have 2 helpers.

They love visitors. Here is Maysen helping take off name tags at the end of class.

When Maysen grows up she wants to be an Author and a teacher who teaches French to American kids or English to French kids. Oui! Oui!

Marie adored her Aunt and would talk to her 24 hours a day. I don't blame her because Stephanie smiles and laughs at everything she says!

Marie sneaking into every picture. We have her well trained.

Oirase Gorge. Yes, you want to come here!

...oh the joys of family pictures

And that was Friday of their visit.

For the fantastic full version see Steph's blog :http://smithsonians.blogspot.jp/2012/06/orise-gorge.html

If you are a blogger you need to take a look at my post and then at hers. MINE is what happens if you WAIT TOO LONG TO BLOG! It's boring, less detailed, and you forget alot of details. Oh well.

Thanks Stephanie! Can I pay you to keep a blog for me?

Up next: Sacred Spots and Tokyo!

My 3 Bears

My 3 Bears

Mama Bear

Marie Bear

And Mina Bear

 All at a bear party!