a very American day....and tulips?

So, today was quite American, starting out with a trip to Costco to buy some food! Then to an outlet sorta mall, then to the theatre to see The Davinci Code and ending at the Outback Steakhouse for a bacon cheeseburger. Yeah....so Japense, eh! haha, it was so fun though, we had a great time for sure! Costco was quite the same as back in the states...except it was two stories with food one on story and "things" on the other floor. And the theatre was beautiful. The japanese movie going experience is a tad more extreme than the Amercian one....with tickets being a tad more expensive and buying assigned seating, which is pretty cool. Since we got there early, before the costco trip, we were able to buy the perfect seats and then come back like 10 minutes in advance and have perfect seats..pretty sweet.

Davinci Code....wow what a movie! It hasn't quite processed in my head yet so maybe I should write much...but it was filmed so well! The acting was excellent and the story....well it was a STORY for sure! A story that has the Christian church in a wonderful place. I've heard a few different things about churches holding special discussions about the story and how to "combat" it, or something like that. To the Christians reading this....do we really need to defend Jesus? Just a thought....

Anyway, it's been a very long day....so I'm pretty tired. you guys are great.....I'm assuming that you are since you're reading this you must be a friend.....and my friends are great! Thanks guys/gals!!

Click here for a New Japan Galllery

evening at the Kurata's...

So, tonight we went to the Kurata’s house for dinner, the same place that we went like the second night I was here. They are the greatest Japanese family ever; as far as I know! Ritsuko, Mom, is an incredible cook and also the nicest lady. She made a “roll-your-own” sushi set up tonight, it was amazing! (Mom, I know how jealous you are of me) Not only was it the sushi set up, there was some noodle salad stuff, potatoes, veggies, fried chicken kinda stuff (except far superior to any normal fried chicken), some little chicken gristles also fried up…I can’t even remember all the food. AND THEN…there was dessert; which was…..some riceballs with ice cream and fruit, a Jello kinda thing with strawberry topping, and a green tea cake…along with coffee or tea…..she seriously goes overboard! Then after dinner we played games till midnight, so fun! What a great family…….I could rant and rave about them for another page or so but I’ll just let it end here………….


This afternoon I also experienced a “traditional tea ceremony”. David wants to have one of the locations for the music video shoot be at a tea ceremony place, so we had to go there and talk to her today, and she hooked us up with a free little ceremony while we were there. Pretty exciting stuff. I always thought tea was just a drink…but no, it’s an experience! Like, you sit down, then eat this little thing on this little rice paper thing, and then she goes through this whole making the tea process and after she sets in front of you you gotta pick it up with one hand, set it in the other hand rotate it twice and then you can drink. Pretty intense green tea flavor for sure! I am glad that she knew we were clueless cause I’m pretty sure that I would have offended her if she was being more serious about the whole thing.

Another Japan experience for sure! Did I mention how awesome the Kurata family is?