My parents came to Japan at the beginning of April. We meet up in Kyoto and spent a few lovely days there before I brought them to Ehime. I'm going to try and do this scrapbook fashion, with loads of pictures and a little description for each.
4/2: Arrival in Japan and meeting up in Kyoto! Exhausted, but delighted to see each other. We ate conveyor belt sushi and then went back to our lovely townhouse, pictured below.
4/3: We did the Philosopher's Walk, a scenic stroll with a lot of temples and shrines along the way. We started at Nanzenji and worked our way over to Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion. It was pretty chill in the morning but very crowded by the afternoon, being a sunny day during cherry blossom season in Kyoto. Our brief detour to Heian Jingu, a bright red shrine with a huge shrine gate, was worth it for the fantastic garden with loads of cherry trees and beautiful ponds.
4/4: We spent the morning doing a taxi tour which brought us to Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, and Nijo Castle. Our taxi driver came and walked around each place with us, providing tons of useful information which I did my best to translate. We relaxed in the afternoon and met up with Irena at night for a shabu-shabu dinner!
4/5: We walked from our townhouse up the back way to Kiyomizu-dera, where we enjoyed the temple and its lovely view. We made our way leisurely along the old-fashioned streets with their many delectable shops and ended up at Yasaka Shrine. At night, we watched Maiko Odori, a dance performance by apprentice geisha in the Gion district of Kyoto. Mutz especially enjoyed it!
4/6: We visited Fushimi Inari, one of my favorite shrines in Japan. It's a fox shrine just outside Kyoto with tons of torii, red shrine gates, on a scenic mountain path. Then we packed up and headed to Shikoku, crossing the Seto Bridge around sunset.
4/7: My parents came to school with me! It was still spring break, but the teachers were there, of course, and most of the sports and clubs still meet. Although the poor teachers were tied up in a very long teachers meeting, we walked around the school and watched basketball, tennis, kendo & judo. Most of the students were shy, but some said hi and a few words to my parents. We had lunch with my supervisor and Reiko, met Nate at the city hall, and then had a much-needed relaxing afternoon before a light nabe dinner at Nate & Amy's, where they also met Jonathan and Tomoko.
4/8: I joined my parents for breakfast at their hotel before going to work, but they headed off with Tomoko to Matsuyama and saw the castle and the main shopping area.
4/9: Again, just breakfast for me and then work! Reiko and Tomoko took my parents to Marugame in Kagawa Prefecture for the day. At night, Reiko and her husband threw a small party for my parents at Mikubo, a delicious seafood restaurant in Kawanoe.
4/10: We drove to Matsuyama and spent the day and night in the Dogo area, where the famous Dogo Onsen (hot spring) is located. The hotel we stayed at had a few really nice private baths for couples, family, or the onsen-wary, which we all enjoyed.
4/11: The parents left from Matsuyama Airport, which was very sad. However, we had a fantastic time together during their trip!
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