On Tuesday, Junko, Hisashi, their daughter Ayumi and her husband Hiromitsu took me to the planetarium. It was nice a close, just a short 5 min drive up the hill and we were there. Since I have never been to a planetarium, I was excited. The first thing we did was go into the omni-dome where they did a show on all the stars, constolations, and where the planets were in relation to Sendai. This all of course was narrated in Japanese, so I did not really understand a word of what was said, so I guess it was a good chance to sit back and star gaze for a while.
There was a pretty good-sized space exhibit that we walked around. Again, I could just look at the stuff and guess what it was because I can’t read or understand Japanese. All that being said, I was very thankful for the experience because it was still very cool.
Following the planetarium, we went to a store called Yamaya. This store sells a handful of imported drinks like Dr. Pepper and A&W cream soda. They also sell Classico pasta sauce, Ice Cream from Oregon, and Tim Cascades chips. I was again showered with their blessing because Both families bought me a bunch of food, which I am so, so thankful for. From there we went to lunch at the bakery called “Basudei,” that translates into “Birthday.” We ate delicious breads and sandwiches and sweet treats.
Like I mentioned before, I am so blessed to be living close to people that have made me feel apart of their family. It has made the transition much easier, knowing where good places are to shop, but even more important, that there are people near by that can help if I need it.
Yoko, Junko and Hisashi’s youngest daughter, planned the Wednesday outing. The four of us drove up north about 2 hours to this place called Gaibi-kei. Here we got on these large wood flat bottom river boats. To me, the best way to describe it was like riding on the Gondolas in Venice, minus the romantic part, minus the city, plus a bunch more people on the same boat as you. There is a guy at the back with a long pole pushing us along, telling us the history of the area and then he sings a couple of local folk songs. It was very relaxing and fun. In some ways it felt like 
we were in the 
deep Jungle because the Cicadas are chirping so loud, the river winds along steep cliff and rock faces and the trees and undergrowth was very lush.The next stop was only a 5 min drive away, Yougendo. This is the place of the oldest cave in Japan, made of lime stone. I’ve been in
a few caves in the Midwest before, but those were nothing like this one. Unlike the Midwest caves I’ve been in, this cave was very narrow and short. It also seemed to be catered towards tourists because the whole thing was lit and they had put in steel stairways in order to safely move up and down in elevation.The last place we went was Fujiwaranasato in Iwate. This place was not only cool because it was a model of a Samurai village, but it was also the set of a Japanese TV drama. I don’t know exactly what it was about, but my guess would be something with Samurai’s. Here we could walk around the different buildings of government office, admire the adopted Chinese architecture, and try on a few of the clothes they wore back in thos
e days.
We left and made our way back towards Ayashi, but before we made it back home we stopped for dinner at this novelty restaurant called Donkey Surprise. The decorations are such that it looks like some shack of a building built out of scrap wood and scrap metal. They have an “American” menu, well a pretty good attempt. Their Burgers are served with out a bun or anything on it, just the paddy. I ate fries, a hamburger and fried chicken. I left with a very satisfied stomach.We made it back home with a few hrs to kill before by bus left for Yokohama, where I would stay and visit my family for a few days. My bus finally pulled out of the Sendai Station terminal at midnight. Time to try and get some sleep before my 7:10am arrival in Yokohama.
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