Thought I would close out with some miscellaneous items from my trips:
My host family all sleeps together in one of the tatami rooms. This is the traditional way for Japan, but is supposed to be less common as Japan turns more towards the western ways. Under this situation, I always wondered how the parents can arrange for some adult "time alone". They have 2 kids, so they obviously figured it out at least once.
The kids stay up later than American kids do. The 6 year old went to bed at about 10:00, and the 10 year old usually a bit later than that (after I went to bed, so I am not sure when). They definitely were a challenge to get up and moving in the morning.
I spent the weekend in Yokohama before returning home. While there, I was given the opportunity to learn some more about Buddhist ceremonies. At a temple in Yokohama, I was able to see a ceremony for the dead, inlcuding monks chanting and all. Very interesting. And at a friend's house, I was able to find out the basics of what one does to pray for deceased, which I then did to pray for a pair of friends who passed away while I was in Japan.
I really like the Japanese toruu (lanterns). Here are a few photos of some of the more interesting ones I saw, and to give you a feel for the variety out there.
I'd love to get one for the next garden I have.
You have probably heard that space is at a premium in Japan. Quite true, especially in the cities. Here is a picture of a house I saw in Yokohama.
Talk about fitting a house onto a small space of land... The house can't be more than 10 feet wide...
That's all for now. Hopefully I will get the opportunity in the future to experience other cultures and write about them here.