Familiar Faces and Local Places

This weekend was another great addition to the anticipation and trepidation I'm getting from realizing I'm leaving Japan in a week. We had a big going away picnic in the park where we had tons of drink and I cooked plenty of food. Lots of Japanese and Americans came, so I think everybody else had a good time saying goodbye and even meeting a few new people. The night after was one of the biggest festivals in Japan, the Tenjin Matsuri, so a few of us went and watched everyone break out their summer yukatas, and enjoyed the fireworks, festival food, and floating parades.

So today was a great start to my last week in Japan! Mom and Ms. Skipper had a great flight and train ride into town, and are at a really interesting hotel in the middle of Osaka that luckily I had no real problems finding. It's always an adventure when I have to use the subway though! Mom and Ms. Skipper are staying at a weekly apartment complex, which is sure a whole lot nicer than my dorm room, I have to say I'm a little jealous!

After taking them around a little in their own part of the district, which is about 45 minutes from where I live, and grabbing some quick lunch at a vending machine restaurant, we headed for Osaka Castle. They kept up with me the whole time; I was a little surprised at first then remembered who I was dealing with!

The Osaka Castle grounds are beautiful, definitely kind of more of the same in terms of Japanese sights, but I'm still glad I got to see something new. While most people complain they don't like the castle because it's newer, I thought it looked better than some of the old ruined castles everyone always freaks out about!

We toured through the grounds and they caught me up on everything that's been going on at home, and we walked through the castle-turned museum (all 8 floors of it!). Mom and Ms. Skipper really enjoyed all the samurai gear, too bad they can't find some to take home, I know I'd be intimidated.

After spending several hours at the Castle grounds, we decided to head into Umeda so I could show them where to meet me for our venture to Kyoto tomorrow. Getting from Subway to Hankyu line is a little complicated, but I have faith in them! Watch me be the one who gets lost...

For dinner we had more traditional Japanese food, this time in a much nicer restaurant. We all ordered some plates and some drinks and shared everything Japanese style, and so everybody got to try something new. I hope they enjoyed their first few Japanese meals and sights and that it only gets better from here!