Jared's Birthday at the Yakiniku House

From 2010-01-09

This sign belongs in the "Amusing Sign" category because of the story that goes with it.

We have repeatedly heard of a Yakiniku house called, "Viking." We wanted to try a Yakiniku house for Jared's birthday, because he likes trying new restaurants in town. I asked everywhere, my Bible study ladies, strangers on the street, Akiko....When I suggested the "authentic Japanese Yakiniku houses" that my friends recommended, Akiko said, "That's where Americans go." I asked her where SHE goes, where a Japanese family would go. She asked if we'd like all the food we could eat. Sure. She sent us to Korakuen. She told me to be sure to try the Curry. We followed her directions and found it. We discovered it IS VIKING..... ::snort:: Korakuen in Japanese...Viking in English.

Duck, Josiah!

From 2010-01-09

This was fun! You grab a plate, pick out your raw meat, and cook it at your table.

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From 2010-01-09

From 2010-01-09

I was going to snap a photo of all the veggies and meats on the grill; frankly we ate them before I remembered.

From 2010-01-09

This little dessert was wonderful, and surprisingly easy to eat with chopsticks.

Yes, the boys enjoyed this restaurant. The youngers found food to grill and loved the dessert selection.

From 2010-01-09

It was a bit spendy, but eating out anywhere around here runs us BIG BUCKS. At least here, they LOVED IT. Some are wondering...for an adult (12 and above) it was a bit more $15.30, for a child 6 - 11 it was $9.00 and for Stacia $4.50. This isn't bad for Japanese prices.

Because I simply can't post long without a toire (toilet) photo....check this out.

From 2010-01-09

First I sanitized my hands and thought it was oh so thoughtful of them to have the sanitizer right there in the stall. Then I realized it was meant to sanitize the toilet seat. ::snort::

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Adventuring in Mutsu Bay

We drove and drove yesterday. We had a lot of fun. We didn't arrive at any of our destinations....there was a construction crew that wouldn't let us access Shipwreck Beach and a BAD storm that hit as we drove up to Cape Shiriya. Yes, we had lots of snow this a.m. Here are some photos of our "aimless" wandering.

Isn't this gorgeous? Mutsu Bay

From 2010-01-09

This huge pile of gravel...

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...turned out to be shells.

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I tried to tell Josiah that Japan was "just like Big Spring, TX - windmills"

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We stopped to make a picnic lunch by the bay in Noheji

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When we got back to town, we stopped by Miss Veedol Memorial Beach....

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Did I mention it was snowing? ::snort::

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My guys minus Jared

From 2010-01-09

My heart's desire is to find glass floats on the beaches while we're here. The family loves to tease me....taunt me...get my hopes up...only to dash them. ::snort::

From 2010-01-09

From 2010-01-09

Next, we headed to the Yakiniku house that Akiko recommends...but that's another post.

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Amusing Sign

This little sign would have been very helpful in the Tokyo airport. ::snort::

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Today we ventured back to Aomori and visited the Joman remains at Sannai-Maruyama.

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

"For a period of over 1,500 years lasting from roughly 5,500 years ago to 4,000 years ago, there was a large scale Joman settlement at the current Sannai-Maruyama Site in Aomori City. The remains of over 550 Jomon period pit dwellings have been surveyed at the site so far. Remains have also been found of both an extremely large pit dwelling and a large structure built using pillars a meter in diameter. " This site is important as excavations have overturned long-held theories about the Joman lifestyle and technological skill. This is the largest such site in Japan.

This was very interesting. Everything was free. There is a nice museum, the site itself, a large picnic area (currently under snow), and an exhibit of things that have been excavated. In looking at the brochure I see that we barely scratched the surface of all we could have done. We plan to go back in the summer. Many of the "pits" were covered in snow. There was a LOT more snow in Aomori than there is down here.

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

English tour guides are available. They do have brochures with a bit of info in English. There is a 6 min video you can watch. We didn't. There are headsets that translate the video to English for rent. We planned to do it after we explored the sites...but by then we were ready to head home.

SOME of the many photos we took:

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

I am learning that one doesn't HAVE to stay housebound, if one learns to drive in this stuff. Better do that before Mike leaves in Feb. This makes one contemplate how COLD it must have been. WE think the homes here are poorly insulated now. ::snort::

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Some dwellings were not meant for climbing inside, some were.

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From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

DUCK! ::snort::

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

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Loved the roof decorations

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No entry but the hole in the floor.

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Zander HAD to taste the snow and the water dripping off the dwelling. "It taste's like bamboo!" ::grin::

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Longhouse

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

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From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Work in progress.
Stacia liked the Jewelry Exhibit

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Jade Bead

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Another Bead/evidently clunky was in

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Ear Plugs

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

For locals...GPS coordinates are N40* 48.51 E 140* 41.743.You can see directions here....I a map to go with these directions (google if this doesn't link). Toll is Y830 each way.

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...