Skating in Kita-Kyushu

Toyora Elementary

This is a 2-nensei class I visited this week. I didn't really have to do much; they had prepared a big presentation of Japanese games to show me, and at the end sang me a song in Japanese.

New year Games at Japanese Class

We played a few traditional New Year's games at my Japanese class and had a big potluck party the first day back after winter break. Here are Becky and Anita playing Hagoita.





and Anita with someone's baby.

Coming of Age Day

The 20-year-olds of Shimonoseki dressed up in their finest:

Kyoto

The hoards of people waiting to get into the shrine on New Year's Eve. (you can see the gate way in the distance)














Why do giant heads make things cuter?


The giant staircase in Kyoto Station