So today, Evan and Rachel both had to work. The plan was that I’d be at the beach because the weather was supposed to clear up and be beautiful.

Evan and I got an early start, and we went over to Casa for breakfast. I got me a killer plate of french toast, eggs, and bacon. We chatted for a while before Evan had to get moving. He dropped me at Climax Coffee, which is right across from the beach. I grabbed myself some blackberry juice there and sat in the corner, drawing and sipping my juice. It was still raining.

I watched the military wives with their children flow and ebb. At one point it got busy enough that I settled my tab and picked a seat out of the way so my table would be free. I don’t like to be in the way. I made a list of things to do when I get home. It was still raining.

About noon the rain had subsided enough and I had finished the drawing I was working on. I ventured out the door and down to Araha beach. There was still a little drizzle falling, so I set up camp on a stool at a covered table. I set my things down, pulled my ukulele out of the case, and played songs for myself while watching a wake boarder jump around. After a while, the rain stopped. I decided to take the opportunity to walk the sea wall and see if there was anything going on. Along one part of the wall, there was a series of intricate graffiti pieces. I walked along the rocks and snapped a few pictures of my favorites. It’s really a style I’d love to learn how to do. After walking the length of the available seawall, I settled back into place at Araha and played some more ukulele. About this time, Evan called. He was going to pick me up and we were heading to Maeda Point for some snorkeling.

This was my first time snorkeling. You know, aside from being a 5 year old with a snorkel in the bathtub. We arrived, parked, and I began donning the rental gear Evan brought for me. This was also my first wetsuit experience. Once I was properly insulated, we headed down the narrow steps to the water. The last few steps were carved out of the coral-rock that we were descending. Pretty cool. Once we were in the waist-deep water at the edge, we slipped on our flippers and Evan gave me a brief primer so, you know, I don’t drown myself. After that, we shot away into the calm, blue waters. It was still overcast, so we didn’t have a lot of light filtering down. We probably could have seen much further if it was. It was still gorgeous. There were fish everywhere, eyeing us in hopes that we had brought food for them. Apparently, that’s their association with people here, as there’s no fishing of any sort in the area. They’d swim up and circle us, follow us as we swam. We saw all sorts of reef dwellers and corals. After rounding the area, my lungs had about had it. The lack of exercise, tight wetsuit, and breathing through a tube were all conspiring against me. We headed back in, de-suited, and headed back to base.

We got some quick showers, and Evan grilled some hot dogs for dinner. We didn’t linger too long before heading over to the Big Dip/Blue Seal ice cream shop. We met Evan’s former coworker Brad there. We were supposed to have one or two more, but they were unable to join. The shop offers what they refer to as the mountain- a 32 scoop sundae featuring every flavor on the menu. Unfortunately, with just the four of us, we weren’t going to eat that. We settled for the little mountain- Probably about half the scoops, and each scoop was about half the size of a normal one. Still plenty to get a taste of their offerings. We shared the micro-beast, and I got to try some other japanese flavors, including the purple sweet potato and brown sugar. The whole thing was mighty tasty.

Afterwards, we headed out to the big ferris wheel in the shopping center across the way. We got our tickets and enjoyed the 15 minute ride around the wheel. I snagged a few shots from the top, but the reflections of the neon and dirty, scratched windows made it a bit hard. Still, I could see the lights of the city for a few miles, and it was a lovely night.

Once we were done on the wheel, we dropped in the arcade by the exit and played a round of air hockey. Evan and Rachel vs. Brad and myself. Evan and Rachel won. But It was a close match! After a lovely evening, we headed out and parted ways. I had to get home to blog and pack my things.

I’m headed home tomorrow. Another long flight is ahead of me, but it’s with ANA, so it should be a pleasant journey. Be home soon!

Today was a tiny bit less touristy, but still pretty touristy.

The morning started rather mundane. Rachel had some errands to run, so I was twiddling my thumbs. Things started properly with a tour around the non-sensetive areas of Kadena Air Base. I got to see the housing and schools, and the various stores on base. We drove by the flight line and I caught a glimpse or two of the planes and jets that were currently out there. There was also a pretty large lot of other military vehicles. This was all pretty cool for someone like me who doesn’t live around these sorts of things.

We met Evan and Reis for lunch at Bambohe, an all-you-can-eat (in 90 minutes) buffet with a twist. After paying a flat rate and getting a table we set out among the selection of food. There were a handful of prepared foods, but the focus was the bar of raw vegetables and meats. I took a small selection of beef and vegetables and headed to the table. The tables in the restaurant have a small grill in the center, over which you cook your meats (and veggies) to your desired degree. It’s definitely fun and it’s a shame it’d probably never work in the USA. I filled up pretty thoroughly, including grilling some pineapple, because why not. I washed it down with more melon soda, and finished up with some soft serve. Fat and happy, we headed out. It was just Rachel and myself today, and the plan was to check out some of the closer sights, since the weather was a little less than pleasant.

We stopped by Sunset Beach, not too far from base. I’ll be spending more time here on Friday. It’s lovely, but with the overcast weather, it wasn’t that much to see. There’s also a large shopping center, American Village, across from it. We wandered there for a bit, and it was loud and a little overwhelming.

Next we headed to Red Bridge Road, and parked a little beyond the Yomitan red bridge. There’s a walking path beneath it, and we took a stroll down it. There was a small river to one side, and a beautiful plant-covered cliff face on the other. It would have been awesome to climb around, but the risk off poisonous critters or habu snake encounters was enough to prevent any attempts to do so. About halfway down the line, we came to a bend. There were three small black dogs on the path. They didn’t make a sound, but ran off towards the water and behind a rocky outcropping. When we came around to their side, there wasn’t a sign of them. Not so much as a claw on stone could be heard. There appeared to be a cave in the rock, so they could have hidden there, but you never know. We finished up our walk a little further down the road, and then headed back to the car.

From there we headed towards the Katsuren Castle ruins, but it was closed by the time we got there.  Not to be deterred, we headed down the road further, south then east. We headed out via some pretty significant bridges to nearby islands. We drove through Henza island, Miyagi island, and finally ended up at Ikei island. We passed some cool tunnels (of sorts) which appeared to be rock-slide preventative measures and/or designed to keep cars from plummeting into the water. Not sure which. There were some gorgeous vistas as we passed through the countryside, and once we got to Ikei, there was a small beach. It was closed, likely because the weather wasn’t much good for it. But we were able to take a couple photos and peek around. It was a gorgeous area, and I’m sure it’d be even more so if the weather was nicer.

Afterwards, it was starting to get dark so we started heading back in. We briefly got turned around, and learned that they grow tobacco on the island. It was like we were back in Virginia for half a second. We saw the farmers coming in for the night, and a few in a shed of a building with a fire, probably having a beer and sharing the goings-on of their days. We finally got back to base, and we had some home-cooked stromboli for dinner, deliciously prepared by Evan and Rachel.

Tomorrow, we’re doing some more sight seeing on the southern end of the island.

Today was our last day on the mainland. It was also the windiest day I’ve experienced in a long while.

We started out at the Excelsior cafe again this morning. I opted for a hot ham and cheese wrap thingy that tasted remarkably like a hot pocket. To drink, an almond caramel latte. After finishing up there, we headed out to catch a train over to the Kanayama shrine.

Our last planned activity was to attend the Kanamara Matsuri. In English, that’s the Festival of the Steel Phallus. A wondrous celebration of the male organ, it’s also a major tourist attraction. The number of foreigners matched, if not outweighed the presence of locals at the shrine. The place was packed, wall to wall. It was an ordeal even to move from stall to stall. There were stands selling all kinds of trinkets and foods, all of which fit the theme of the festival. Of particular note were the novelty noses, wood carvings, and the wide variety of penis shaped lollipops. We wandered about, ever so slowly, checking out the giant penis statues on portable shrines. There was also a performer with a monkey. Might have been a macaque, but I couldn’t say for sure. The poor thing did not look like he wanted to perform, but eventually went through his routine. There was also a band of percussionists, accompanied by a flute. At noon, the parade began. Participants marched the portable shrines out of Kanayama and down the street, followed by a huge crowd of other people. I lost Evan and Rachel for a moment so I chose a corner and relaxed. I enjoyed a bit of people-watching, including an officer losing his hat in the wind. Once everything cooled off a bit, they gave me a ring on the phone they lent me, and we met up again.

We walked back toward the hotel rather than taking the train. We got a different view, and avoided the crowds. We ended up stopping in a Mos Burger for lunch, and I got to taste my first melon soda. I was NOT disappointed! I chose a fied fish and shrimp sandwich, which was mighty tasty and puts any american chain fillet o’ fish to shame.

We decided to head back into Tokyo, in an attempt to check out the Ghibli museum- a suggestion from Cori. Unfortunately, we found ourselves unable to enter. They had sold out for the day. Not to be discouraged, we walked through the gorgeous Inokashira park. I wandered off a bit while the others rested, and then caught up via phone again. It was really quite a beautiful park, albiet a little muddy from rain earlier in the week.

After weaving through the park, we headed to a big commercial strip to find dinner. We settled on The Hub. A chain of British-style Pubs. I snagged some acai/pineapple juice and the fish and chips. The food was pretty tasty, and seemed surprisingly authentic, right down to an imported malt vinegar. The decor, I believe, nailed the feeling, though the pop music from the speakers and WWE on the television seemed to miss the mark.

After dinner we hopped back on the train to head home. It was a rather long ride, but I managed to pass the time with my sketchbook. It’s surprisingly easy to draw on a moving train. I’m a little red from the sun, and definitely tired, but it’s been a wonderful day.

Tomorrow, we’ll be flying to Okinawa, where I’ll be staying with Rachel and Evan and exploring the island they call home.

Today was scheduled to be a little more relaxed.

Evan and I started off by scouting for something I could use to sling my uke over my back. We’re headed to Kamakura tomorrow and once we’re done at Kotokuin Temple, there will likely be some hiking or a visit to the beaches, where I hear there’s a good view of Mt. Fuji. I’d love to find a spot to sit, chat, eat, and play for a while, but I didn’t bring my gig bag and the hard case is a bit much to carry around all day. I’m currently crafting a strap out of plastic twine we found in a convenience store, but it may be a lost cause. Besides, I’d still need a way to protect it from the elements.

I digress…

We returned to the hotel and had breakfast at the little sandwich shop again. A cheeseburger, fries, and a strawberry shake are a great way to start the day. I highly suggest it. Especially if your next stop is similar to ours. We checked out of the hotel, had them hold our bags, and headed out to one last stop before we moved on to Kawasaki.

We dropped into the Yebisu beer museum. Yebisu is one of the oldest brands of beer in Japan, and their methods are German in origin. There was a brief gallery showing their bottles throughout the company’s lifetime, as well as marketing material and photos from the past. They provided a brief history of the brand, ending at the ‘tasting salon’, where we grabbed a beer each to sample and share. It was a good time, but unremarkable if you’re not a brand enthusiast. We headed from there back to the hotel to grab our things.

We hopped a cab from there and headed to the train station. We hopped a rather comfortable express train and headed to Kawasaki. A short walk from the station and we hit our hotel. We’re staying at the Sunroute Kawasaki. It’s a reasonably sized room, and the bathroom is actually the biggest from any of the Japanese hotels we’ve stayed in.

After getting settled in, Evan and I set out to explore within a block or so of our hotel. Rachel stayed behind to rest her tired feet. It turns out we’re right next door to a sprawling commercial zone with La Citadella at it’s heart. Evan and I have jokingly deemed this the Short Pump of Japan. It’s almost scary how many shops and restaurants are crammed into this space, and honestly I think it puts Short Pump to shame in scale.

We eventually headed back to Rachel, and then the three of us headed out for dinner. We found a Thai restaurant in a 7 floor mall, and dropped in. I was terribly excited to find a mango lassi on the drink menu, and picked a platter of fried fish in a spicy sauce for dinner. After we finished up, we dropped in to a shoe shop where Rachel picked up some insole padding for her shoes. We wandered around the shops a little longer, and found a crepe cart aptly named “She loves Crepes.” Rachel concurred, and we picked up dessert. There was a handful of flavors to choose from, and I went with caramel banana. Some serious craftsmanship went into the presentation, and the flavor matched that care. Satisfied, we made our way back to the Sunroute. We had a brief pit stop in a 7-11 since my wallet was getting thin.

Tomorrow, we’re headed to Kamakura. Only time will tell whether the uke will join us.