Hibuya

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The world's busiest intersection.....

On our last day in Japan we decided to try to find the world's busiest intersection. One of the old Aussie's had posted about it on her blog, so we used that information and headed off to Hibuya. After wondering around the train station, we managed to spot the Starbucks that she said she sat in to watch....so we headed over there. This is what we saw from inside on the 2nd floor.
Everyone waiting for the green light to cross the street....

Everyone crossing the street. It is estimated that over 1 million people pass through this intersection everyday.

This is Mitch and the kids sitting in the window at Starbucks.

I asked Mitch to take this picture to show Tina that it wasn't so busy on a Tuesday afternoon during summer vacation (She waiting for about 45 mins with her friends to get window seats, we waited about 5 seconds)

After we had our fill of people watching, we headed back out on to the streets.

What time is it?

This semi passed through the busy intersection at least 10 times while we were there. They were promoting a new singer, I think. They were selling her CDs on the corner.

just a sculpture outside the train station

Mitch liked this beer ad he saw on the train back to the hotel....

we weren't sure if this was Beer Bitter Face or what...

We had a great time in Tokyo. This will be my last post for this blog. If you would like to follow us back in America, please go to http://thehammesclan.blogspot.com/ Please know that our American blog will mainly be for our friends back in Japan so they can keep up with us.

We loved being in Japan and can not wait to see our friends again, whether they come to America for a visit or we go to Himeji for a visit. We miss all of you!!!

Park Hyatt Tokyo in Shinjuku

Our hotel. We stayed on the 44th floor.
part of the view our of our room
RJ and daddy went swimming...Sara wasn't old enough by hotel standards...


The Tokyo skyline by night (this was on Mitch's camera) You can see Tokyo Tower just left of the center of the picture.

A picture of almost the same spot during the day.

We did manage to see Mt. Fuji from the hotel, but you can barely tell in the picture. It was amazing to see from so far away.

Tanabata (Star Festival)

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Our good friend Miho invited us to a Star Festival that she was going to with home stay student from New Zealand (Elizabeth). RJ and Sara were happy to wear their Yukata's again (Yes, Sara got another one...)


There were games to play
And ramunei to drink
And friends to pose for pictures with...

Thanks Miho for another great day!! We miss you in America!!

Ikebukuro

OK, so here I am finishing up our Tokyo trip...
After a fun day Tokyo Disney, we decided to head over to Ikebukuro (another area in Tokyo). We had heard that there was a Build-a-Bear Workshop there and seeing how we brought their bears all the way from America, we figured we had to try one last time to get their Pawsports stamped.

Some of the scenery from the streets

Sara was very happy to find a stroller and put Pink Peaches in for a ride...

RJ checking everything out....
Cute yukatas for the bears
Here is some evidence that we were actually in a Japanese store.
After we were all done. Sara got a Kimono for Pink Peaches and RJ got a ginbei for Wilbur the Wildcat. Everyone was happy

While wondering around we came across some familiar sights...
A cute rabbit on the street
More of the city streets
More familiar sights (KFC)
These Sanrio stores were everywhere. You could get anything Hello Kitty or even Shinkansen (the bullet train) there. These were RJ and Sara's favorite kind of stores

If we weren't headed home after this trip, we might have stopped for some American Pizza
A street performer
A Smoking area on the street corner
City streets
More familiar sights

It was another great day in Tokyo....I have one more blog on the world's busiest intersection...

Tokyo Disney

Sorry for the lapse in blogs. I am staying at a friends house this week and she only has dial up. My wonderful husband found out that Peter Piper Pizza has free wireless Internet...so as I sit here at 9:30 pm.....please enjoy a recap from our trip to Tokyo Disney...


After riding the over night bu from Himeji to Tokyo (it took us 10 hrs), the kids were very excited when they figured out where we were going.

At the entrance....Many people had told us that Tokyo Disney looked exactly like Disneyland in California...we didn't think so. There was no train station right out front
Many of the characters were out front to greet us...Pluto
I think this is Gapeto (from Pinocchio)
And Pinocchio. I was impressed with how the kids were with the characters. Sara wouldn't go near them but she was willing to stand next to her brother who was VERY excited to see them.

Don't think there is a Hokushi's in California
This is the end of Main street. Very different.
ToonTown entrance
While Mitch and I waited in line for the Jolly Trolley, RJ and Sara found fun things to play on

More cars

Cool water..yes it was hot and yes we let Sara get into the fountain.

The Jolly Family on the Jolly Trolley

More characters in Toontown
Tea cups. RJ and I went pretty fast on our spinning.


Sara chased Max down for a picture

Pumping up the water for an explosion
Checking out the hole in the door
Get me out of here!!

The parade...I don't know what was better...seeing Tigger bounce or watching my kids have the time of their lives!! It was awesome to see they experience all of this for the first time!

RJ and Sara waving at their favorite characters.
The castle
Tokyo Disney map


Not too sure about this, but it was outside while we were waiting for the bus back to our hotel.

I have a few more entries for Tokyo, but I am going to get kicked out of the pizza place soon. I have created our new blog at http://thehammesclan.blogspot.com/ but there isn't much there yet. It will mainly be a blog for our friends in Japan and family out of Arizona so they can keep up with the kids and see what they are up too and to see what Arizona is really like.

Check back in next week....not sure when I will be given permission to leave again....

Pools Party

Monday, July 21st

Part 3 of a busy weekend

The kids were invited over to their friend Kiri's house for a pool party. When we arrived, we realized it was a pools party (3 pools)

Sara on the slide.
RJ playing with.....water (big surprise there)
Some of their friends

The gang that had fun together!! the moms (including me) cooked takoyaki, yakiniku and onigiri.

It was a lot of fun!!!

Asagiri Beach

Sunday, July 20th

Part 2 of a packed weekend.

We headed back to our favorite beach one last time before we left. Kimi and her parents drove all of us there. It was hot, but everyone seemed to have a good time

Playland at The Mall

Sunday, July 20

A few catch up blogs...sorry

We had dinner at the mall with some friends. The kids talked daddy into a few rides after dinner.

Akemi and her daughter Kumiko
RJ, Sara and Kumiko

Mitch decided to get in on the act....I hope it didn't hurt when the dinosaur bit him...

See Ya Soon, Himeji

Saturday, July 26th at 6:30pm we had to say "see ya later" to some of the most amazing people we have meet while living in Himeji.

I was surprised at all the people who came by to say farewell.
Yes, same picture, but Dia took the first one and he is in the second one. (next to Mitch)

We had a few visitors earlier in the day. Chiaki came by for a chat in the afternoon.

Suzuna came by to see me in the morning. She was the lucky recipient of all of Sara's clothes and other small child items (high chair, stroller, plates, bowls, etc.)

Several others stopped by too, but of course I forgot to take pictures.

It was nice to see everyone one last time, but it also made me sad. It was amazing how well we got to know some of our friends in the short time we were here. RJ and Sara were given many offers to come do home stay with our new friends when they are older. And some of our friends will come see us in America...we can't wait to see you again!!!

When we left Himeji, we headed to Tokyo for 3 days. I will blog about our adventures there as soon as I can.

You Might Be a Redneck....

If you strap a HUGE bicycle box to the back of your bicycle....
I finally convinced Mitch that we should take Sara's bicycle home with us. So he strapped her bike to the front of his (I forgot to take a picture of that).

After a LONG while in the bike shop, the guys managed to get the petals off and loaded the bike into this huge box (for a man's 26 inch bike). When the guy came outside and saw what Mitch was doing, he laughed so hard!!! It was hilarious.

As I rode behind Mitch on the way home (to keep track of him) this is what I saw.
Yep, we made it home all in one piece.....then later Mitch strapped a 22 lb (10kg) box to the front of his bike and rode it to the post office. It is amazing what one can accomplish when you have no car.

July's 12 on 12

Ok, so I know I am late with this month's version of 12 on 12. Seeing how it will be my last one in Japan, I wanted to do things a bit different. I promised you 24 pictures last month and I planned to have 12 and 12. But I seem to have gone over board on one side and not the other

July's 12 on 12 -

12 things I WILL miss about Japan and 12 things I will NOT miss about Japan (in no particular order). I did not include people as that would eat up all of my available slots

I WILL miss the photo booths here. They are everywhere and once you take the photos you get to decorate them. (Click on the photo to see it bigger.)

These are the photo booths that I WILL miss.

I WILL miss seeing Himeji-jo everyday. Kind of like living at the beach..you get so use to it that once it is gone you forget how great it was.

I (and RJ, Sara & Mitch too) WILL miss the ice cream kids!

I WILL miss seeing my name in print without Christmas after it

I will NOT miss not being able to read a menu. It will be so nice to be literate again!!

I WILL miss seeing the world from a different perspective (notice how the Americas are not on the left center of this map)

I WILL miss my quiet reading place outside of Shogai...On Wednesdays I would arrive early and sit and read outside.

I WILL miss funky looking garages.

I WILL miss kid sized urinals in the ladies bathroom. (no Sara does not use them, RJ just wouldn't pose for me)

I will NOT miss a full size mirror in the shower.

I WILL miss the extra large shower area we have here.

I WILL miss all the crazy drinks they come out with here in Japan. This is Pepsi Blue (Pineapple and Lemon flavor). The kids enjoyed it.

I WILL all the great Japanese cakes. I do not have a sweet tooth therefore I like how less sweet Japanese cakes are.

I WILL miss group exercise...remember the movie Gung Ho anyone?

I WILL miss my wonderful daily bentos.

I will NOT miss Japanese style toilets!!

I will NOT miss crazy English translations albet as funny as they are.

I will NOT miss my desk. I spent way too many hours just sitting here doing nothing.

I will NOT miss rice fields. As fun as it was to watch them plant them and to see how straight the rows are...hello they harbor mosquitoes!!

I WILL miss all the great origami that is made here. My ESS club members made this for me. They used about 200 small pieces of origami paper. I can't wait to hang it in my classroom in Arizona!


I WILL miss Himeji High School's song. The students sing this at all ceremonies and it almost feels like college days at sport event when we would sing the fight song. Luckily one of my teachers gave me a CD with the song on it!!

I will NOT miss the sweat generated during the humid weather. This is my back after ONLY standing in the gym for closing ceremonies. (no AC)

I am sure that as soon as I post this I will think of a few more things that I WILL miss. I can truly say that I have LOVED living in Himeji this year. I wish all of my friends back home could have had the opportunity to visit and see what a truly amazing place Japan really is.

Goodbye Himeco

Friday, July 18th

On my last day of school, some of my favorite teachers surprised me with some VERY beautiful flowers!!! At first I was surprised because my favorite funny teacher was wearing a VERY curly wig. It was great!! And the fragrance was wonderful for our apartment.

The gang that presented me the flowers.

Thanks to all the teachers at Himeco, I had a fabulous year!! I am sad to be leaving but happy to go home to see family and friends. Thanks for some wonderful memories!

Tegara Water Park

Saturday, July 19th

Our friend Miho had a home stay student from New Zealand for about 7 days. We were invited to come along on Saturday when they went to the water park at Tegara Park. We had a blast. Think Water World but on a much tamer level (no crazy teenagers taking over the park)
Yota (Miho's nephew), RJ and Elizabeth (home stay student from New Zealand) taking a break from the water.

Mommy and Sara
Sara and Elizabeth. They were inseparable.


Almost the whole gang (plus 2 friends of RJ's from school)
Sara, Merry, Elizabeth, Miho, Yota & Akiko
Akiko and Yota. They had a lot of fun together.
RJ dunking daddy
daddy rising from the water!!

Sara and Elizabeth
Even though there were many pools of water, RJ was still drawn to the water fountains.
Mommy and RJ
Akiko (don't you just love her smile) and Yota
Mommy and Sara having fun!

Thanks Miho for a great day at the water park!!! RJ is still talking about it!! And don't worry, our sunburns have all healed!!

Himeji High Sports Day

September 17, 2007

I know that this blog is long over due.

Back in September all the local schools had Sports Day. It is somewhat similar to Field Day in the elementary schools back home, but on a much grander scale. And at my high school the decorations are just as important as the events.

Every thing took place on the open field behind the school building.

Each class made a class decoration. This is what the field looked like when I arrived at school at 8:20am 1st graders

more 1st graders

the band playing the opening song

All of the classes marched out on to the field together

3rd graders decorations - all of them become more 3-D

2nd graders decorations

The 2nd graders pretty much ran the show. The started all of the races, kept track of them and announced the winners.

more 2nd graders

yes, that Spiderman is 3-D

The kids came inside the teachers works room to see where mommy worked.

The middle one is Harry Potter

Then the students got into costumes for the judging.

my favorite one was the castle. The students dressed up as Disney characters, but the boys were the princesses! It was great!!

Mr. Ayukawa and Sara (last September).

After lunch the students came out with their clubs

Kendo club

RJ was excited to find Thomas

Class jump roping contest (there are about 30-40 students jumping rope all together)

I took this picture for my mom. It is the big guy from Harry Potter (Hagrid?).

I know that there were a lot of pictures for this post (hence why I never finished the blog until now) but I wanted you to see the progression of the decorations. It was a fun (and hot) day. The students prepare all summer long with their classes and clubs. Their parents are invited to come watch.

Tanabata at Kids House International Preschool

Monday, July 7, 2008


RJ and Sara's school had a party to celebrate the Star Festival (Tanabata). Mitch volunteered to help with all the festives

Tanabata is a Festival of the Stars on July 7th. You can learn more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata

The kids dressed up in their yukatas for the festival

Sara's Koala class
All of the kids and teachers (yes that is Sara in the front row picking her nose)
The kids listening to instructions
Sara waiting patiently for the games to begin

Performing their star festival dance and song
more instructions
teacher Favi (Kimi's mom) in a yukata

RJ and Kimi

Star decorations
Daddy helped tie many of the obis on the kids
Sara waiting for her yakisoba
Sara's group eating
RJ's group eating Japanese style.

From what I heard, the kids all had a great time. They played games to earn their food (lunch) and some even won extra prizes (Sara got a big bag of treats)