In Other News

In May the cherry blossoms finally bloomed! We were able to partake in the Japanese tradition of picnicking in the park under the beautiful trees, Mark and I also had some photos taken of new family as a whole.

In other news we have been staying very busy! I have taken a job as a English teacher at a preschool/kindergarten off base. Yes, I am teaching Japanese kids. Yes, it is the most mentally exhausting job I have ever done, and yes, the kids are ADORABLE! 

Lunch time!

Typical bento lunch.

We wear hate when we go for walks/to the park.

I have started a garden, it is very hard to find good produce for a reasonable price here in Japan, so I decided to grow my own. After much research  I decided to forgo the traditional garden and plant in containers. I had most of my containers donated to me and shopped at the Japanese Hardware/Home Store for my soil, fertilizer, plants and some of my seeds. It was kind of a guessing game deciding on what to purchase because I really had no idea what exactly I was buying (because it is all in Japanese!). But the pictures looked good, the numbers on the fertilizers looked good and it seems to be working. Everything is growing and flowering. Mark and I have been eating lettuce and herbs already! We ate our only strawberry the other day, and I hope to have more soon! I am also growing tomatoes, squash, peppers, carrots, garlic, cucumbers, beans and a variety of herbs. I have had some insect problems but everything is growing and flourishing.

grow tomatoes, grow!

On the long Memorial Day weekend Mark and I were able to get out of Fussa and head to Tokyo. We went to the Edo Tokyo Museum and the Tokyo Tower. We were also able to head out to Fuji Five Lakes, which is the are around Mount Fuji. It was a beautiful day and we were able to picnic in a small park area by one of the lakes. Fuji is huge up close, I realized that I better be training harder if I expect to climb that mountain in July!!!

Famous Sumo Wrestlers!!! Random walk by shot.

Tokyo Tower.

We also have an upcoming trip to Hawaii and then I will continue on to California. I cannot wait to see all your smiling faces, eat good American food and shop in a store where I am not a XL.

Until then we love and miss you all, better post this before my lap top runs out of batteries!

Apodaca Sisters Take Japan

Hello All,

We have been VERY busy lately, I am sorry I have fallen behind on my posting.... again! But right this moment I am stranded at the Narita (Tokyo) airport with nothing to do but finally finish the last 3 posts I have been working on. So sit back and enjoy some news from Japan.

In April Rachel came to visit. She was such a trooper; the evening she got off the bus we took her to dinner at Yakiniku, a grill your own meat restaurant. Now I don't know if I have mentioned Yakiniku before, it is one of Mark's and my favorite things to eat... we usually wear sweatpants and gorge ourselves until we can barely roll home. We even belong to a Yakiniku club. But I don't think poor jet lagged Rachel was up for it, but she came and with a smile!

Then the next day we were out shopping! I took her to the Daiso and our recycle shops (thrift stores are AWESOME in Japan) just to help her warm up to Japan. Then the real adventure began, we visited many places all up and down Honshu (the main Island of Japan). 

Not sure what this is, but you can buy it for 105Y!

We were able to visit Kamakura and see the big Buddha and the Shrine by the Sea. We ate at a Hawaiian restaurant (it was SO good). There were some amazing gardens in bloom during this early spring time, the plum blossoms were also in full bloom but it was still too cold for the cherry blossoms (which are very special to the Japanese people).

This "god" washed ashore in Kamahura many years ago, this is one piece of wood carved and painted with gold.

watch out for the kites.

One of my favorite Buddhas!

Then on the weekend Mark, Rachel and I were able to take the bullet train to Kyoto, then onto Hiroshima and Myajima Island.

Mark's mustache, can you see it?

Kyoto was the capitol before Tokyo, this small city is very special… you walk down the street and there is a modern coffeehouse on you left and the gate to a 1,000 year old shrine on your right. Some of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.

Golden Pavilion

10,000 Torii Gate Shrine

Fighting like the Samurai

We did visit the tolerance museum while in Hiroshima, this experience was informative and heartbreaking. Below you will see a picture of the only remaining building standing after the bomb was dropped.

We also had time to visit Miyajima, which is an island that is considered to be sacred. Women were not allowed on the island until recently. There is a HUGE "floating" torii gate to welcome you onto the island and many great shrines and temples.

FIVE STORY PAGODA <3 <3 <3

This torii is HUGE!

Another really interesting about this island is the deer, at first they seem cute and domestic… but in reality they are sneaky thieves! They will walk right up to you and steal your bento. Of course I couldn’t resist feeding them!

We got home to Fussa and sent Mark back to work while Rachel and I headed to Tokyo to see what trouble we could get into. The night we were supposed to leave we headed to the train station, got a comfy seat on the train but then the wind started up… very strong wind! So strong that parts of the railways were shutting down, Rachel and I were almost stuck somewhere in Tokyo with no way out!  But luckily I was able to re-route us to our destination.

In Tokyo we were able to visit the Edo Tokyo Museum, do MORE shopping and see some of the beautiful gardens that the city and the palace had to offer.

Rachel’s visit was awesome and I want to thank her for making her trek across the big pond to have an adventure with us.

Favorite pic of Rachel from the trip. I <3 green tea kit kats!