Golden Week Holiday

I spent one of Japan's beloved holidays, Golden Week, in my house sick with a cold.  I was able to get out for one of the days however, and we drove down to Kawaguchiko, one of the five lakes on the north side near the base of the grand volcano and Japan's symbol, Mount Fuji.  Here are a few shots from the day.

We visited Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nenba, a traditional craft village.  We had also planned to visit a common starting point for Fuji's climb, Sengen Shrine.  The Golden Week traffic caught up with us however, and instead of sitting on a 4-mile stretch for several hours, we decided to cut our day short and go home.

I can't believe that my time in Japan is coming to an end.  I want to focus on having fun, creating lasting memories, and packing to go home, but my mind is also preoccupied by the Japanese Language Proficiency Test that I will be taking on July 1st.  I have very little chance of actually passing this test, but I will take it none-the-less.  If nothing else, it will be good practice for the next one I plan to take in NY next year.

Spring is here! Eco-challenge for this week - try drying all of your clothes on hangers or on a line instead of using a drying machine.  They dry faster than you think, and you'll save some money too!

Welcome Back! - Spring Vacation Travels 2012

Hello all, and welcome back to Kitcher's Cafe!

Here is a short slideshow of some pictures that I took while on a 1-week vacation in March.  Two friends from High School (now all three of us living in different places) managed to get some well-deserved time off to make the trek all the way to Japan!

We started in Tokyo, making our way south to Kyushu by shinkansen, visiting Fukuoka and Nagasaki, then making our way back north with a stop in Nara.  It was a great time, and helped me see the beauty of Japan again through fresh eyes!

Take a look at the flickr album, and post any comments about the locations or pictures in the comments section below!

Also, take a minute to look at my new store on Zazzle - KokoRosato.  I have added a few preliminary items, and will be updating more as time goes on.  I'll post again when I have some new products for sale.

 See KokoRosato at Zazzle

Browse other gifts from Zazzle.

All of the products in my store were created using original photos taken by me.

-LRK

Happy looking!  Happy shopping!  Happy spring!