Miscellaneous - Nov '05 - May '06

Kanpai at a goldenweek BBQ.

Chris is scary.

Maki, Chris and I during golden week outside my apartment. For those who haven't been introduced, Maki is like an older brother. We hang out a few times a week. he works on a pig farm in Hayakawa 1 minute from my house. If you want to hear more stories, ask me in person. :)

Chris and I drinking smoothies that Marisa made us one morning during golden week. We're at the river 1 minute from my house. Chris stayed over for 2 nights and Marisa for 3. I think this is on the third day.

My Hayakawa river.

My Hayakawa river.

Me and my river.

My river.

Chris with a beer behind my house.

Us posing with the smoothies.

Chris and I on the bridge above the river.

Marisa...

A furry friend we found on my porch.

Weird faces and meat on the grill. :)

Marisa cooking up some of my Italian Dressing Chicken.

This is an ancient picture of the JHS kids at a band festival, but I'm pretty sure it's not the one I wanted to upload.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Hayakawa elementary kids in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

Me in Nagano at the elementary ski class.

My tatami room.

My tatami room.

Sachi-nee and Maki-nii (my japanese older siblings) chowing on nabe on my floor. They both speak pretty good English, so the conversation is pretty bilingual.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Hayakawa dance group (with elementary school kids) dancing at the Takeda Shingen Matsuri in April.

Heaven's Door is a local Yamanashi group that Maki and I befriended. The bass guitarist owns a live house/cafe that we go to a few times a month. Heaven's Door (name comes from the Grateful Dead song) plays at that cafe (Pastorius) once a month. We've been invited to a BBQ with the band in August. Should be great! They're all super nice people. We've also been adopted by the lead guitarist's wife.

Heaven's Door again.

The festival stands and cherry blossoms. That's Maki a few people up.

These are the men's toilets. Notice anything funny? Like, maybe the fact that they have no doors? You can't see it here but the women's stalls were adjacent to these.

The stage and a view of Kofu from the top of Kofu Castle. Kofu castle is really just a pile of rocks, but the grass is nice.

More Kofu. What an ugly city!

Samurai cruising up the main street in Kofu.

The big man himself. Takeda Shingen - founder of Yamanashi.

Some samurai. When they reached the Shingen statue they all took out their cigarettes and started smoking. One of them gave me his little bamboo water bottle thing.

Keep in character, people! Anyone have a light?

In case you didn't notice, I'm kneeling in this picture.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

I went to a hanami - cherry blossom viewing party - at a friend's temple.

Me with the Takamitsu Fujita Organ Trio at Cafe Pastorius. Great live!

Jason, Meriel, Marisa, and I at the JET skip trip in Hakone, Nagano.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm curry.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM nan!

A tired me with curry.