My second weekend in Takayama

A week ago Friday (the 10th) my work entailed attending YANSA, which was a dance festival for elementary and junior high school students. Unfortuntaely for me, there was no one representing from Miya or Kuguno. So I was just there to watch everybody else's kids.

First though, we had to get some lunch.

soba! mmmmmmm

The festival was outside and HOT. In the sun. We took refuge in the shade of the "important people and camera men" tent, which was all the way in the back. The performances were really really cute; at least for the first half hour. Until we realized they all danced to the same 4 songs. 4 songs. All. day. long.



The really young kids were my favorite ^_^


We lasted in the heat and the romping melodious monotony for about an hour before we took off in search of a/c. Kyle and Dan went back to take showers. Theresa, Minh, and I went to a coffee shop.


Dinner was at a yakiniku (BBQ meat) place


with sake


And afterwards we headed to the local reggae bar, Bagus

where for 2000 yen you can get the most enormous parfait I have ever seen in my life

That's Malibu rum in the bottom of it

Saturday I just stayed at home all day, updating the blog and catching up on things at home. I think I went outside once for about 10 mins in the evening, just so I wouldn't feel like a total hermit...

Sunday the 12th was a walking tour of Takyama. Interestingly enough, Kyle, Dan, and I found a gun shop before the tour. Yep, a gun shop. In Japan. Which is also a toy store...

we're still trying to figure it out.

During the walking tour, people from further north in the Hida region joind us - Jordan from Shinagawa, where the historic folk village is, and also Greg and Will from Hida City, the next town north by train.

It was a good chance to see the city and get some info on where the best curry is, the local ALT hangouts, bars, and also which restaurant is run by the local yakuza (mob). Which happens to be

this place, apparently. Nobody talks about it, but I guess it's just common knowledge. Our regional prefectural advisor, Nancy, told us about it.

Sanmachi, the old city of Takayama with houses dating to the Edo period



Greg!


Kyle!


I've forgotten what these are called, but they're fantastic. Just like balls of dough fried and dipped in soy sauce.

With George, a 1st year ALT from London. Everybody else in the Hida region seems to either be American or Canadian.

He hates this picture. heh heh.

After the tour we met up with most of the other ALTs in Takayama for dinner at an izakaya. People from southern Hida region, mostly from Gero, also joined and we ended up with so many people that we had to get 2 rooms






George, Dan, and Will

Kyle, me, and Jordan

Some unfortunate shrimp...

And the lockers where you put your shoes - the cards in them are keys that you take when you put your shoes in


After dinner other people went to the bars, but since the last bus to Miya leaves at 1130, Theresa and I just hung out and caught the last ride home.