Mom's visit {the sights}

Hey ladies {and gents, if there are any of you out there}!  It's been a while since I've had a real post.  Somehow I skipped my 30 by 30 update for the month of April {but I hadn't checked anything else off the list so it would have been a pretty boring/sad post anyways}.  Oh well, that's what happens when I'm too busy living life, right?

I had a wonderful visit with my mom.  I was so proud of her for making the journey {it was her 1st time ever leaving America} and being open to trying new things while she was here {10 years ago she wouldn't even eat rice}!  I've decided the next time someone comes to visit {Rebecca} I'm going to wear a pedometer every day to see how much we walk.  I'm sure my mom and I walked about 10,000 steps each day we went out sightseeing.  We were both exhausted by the end of her 10 days here!

Day 1, less than 12 hours in Japan, we took off on a tour of Chiyoda

We had a very handsome rower on our boat

after our boat tour we headed to Yasukuni Shrine where my husband showed my mom how to properly cleanse before entering

Next, we headed to Roppongi to see the Zojo-ji Temple and Tokyo Tower

We ended the day with a typical PACKED Friday night train

Day 2 was our cherry blossom festival on base.  My husband's unit ran a velcro wall all day which is where we spend most of our time and day 3 was Easter so we just did a few local things.

Day 4 was spent in Kamakura seeing Daibutsu

  Hase Dera Temple

 and Hachiman-gu Shrine

We also did a little shopping that day where I picked my this super fun furoshiki bag which I am now obsessed with!

Day 5 we met up with one of my Japanese friends for glass bead making

Day 6 I had to teach so we did some things on base and around our town

Day 7 we went to Odawara to see the castle

Day 8 we went to an open air folk museum where they had relocated different traditional houses from different parts of Japan

Day 9 was the only day we had really bad weather {PTL} so we decided to do something indoors.  We went on a tour {in Japanese} of the Kirin beer factory

Day10 was spent touring around Yoyogi Park, Harajuku and Meiji Shrine

we finished off the night with a stop at Shibuya crossing

Day 11, our last full day to sightsee, we went to Asakusa, on a recommendation from some of my students.  My mom said this should be the 1st place I bring people from now on and I agree.

After visiting Senso-ji Temple {and a quick stop to play Katniss}, we headed to a nearby street I had heard about and been wanting to visit for a long time called Kappebashi, where they sell lots of kitchen supplies and the models of food you see in many Japanese restaurant windows

After another long day of walking around, we decided to splurge on the "romance car" on the way home.  For the price of about $5 US, you can have a confirmed seat on a train and not have to fight the crowds.  Some days, it's totally worth it!

See you tomorrow for part 2 of my mom's trip...the FOOD!