Since space is such a hot commodity, people are willing to share what they have. Throughout lots of neighborhoods we see community gardens. And people tend to make sure their space is well taken care of.
The funny thing about this picture is all the water bottles lying around the rows of vegetables. They fill them with water to keep the cats away…I find that hilarious for 2 reasons – 1. who ever thought of that 2. why would they think it would work (by the way, I haven’t seen any cats where there are filled water bottles)Out side the garden areas, you usually find one of these signs.
I don’t know what it says in Japanese, but one can surmise that it means, “Please don’t let your dog poop here, it stinks”While I had my camera in tow at school today, but I only managed to get one class photographed. This is my H4 class. They are 3rd year (Seniors) and this is an elective for them. It is Expressive Communication. You can see they are wearing different uniforms. The girls all wear pleated skirts (I am told they have heavier ones for the winter). They have 2 different tops. The Summer top is a short sleeve white blouse with a sailor style collar. At our high school they have an H (Himeji High) embroidered on the front lapel pocket. They then can wear a navy blue cardigan over it if they need to. The winter uniform is a long sleeve navy blue blouse with a sailor style collar with a sash tied in the front. They are very cute.
The boys’ uniforms are long black pants (summer or winter) and a white collared button down shirt. On their collar they wear the school emblem and a I, II or III depending on their year. For the winter they wear a long sleeve black coat that is very nice looking. Hopefully in this picture you can see the different uniforms.Ok, the next 3 pictures sort of go together. I took them so you could see how small things really are here in Japan and how well they utilize their space here. The first one shows how small the garage space is. I purposely took the picture with a student in it so you could have a reference point. She is on a bike right next to the garage. 
You will notice that she is not much taller than the top of the garage. I guess Tommy and Trina really won’t be able to live here with their large vehicles.
The second picture is to illustrate the parking lot situation. If there happens to be a parking lot where you want to go, you can be assured that you will have to be a very good parker to park there. Spots are very small and they not only have lines on the sides, they have lines for the front and back of your car.
Not sure how Trina would park that Excursion in Japan.
You will notice that she is not much taller than the top of the garage. I guess Tommy and Trina really won’t be able to live here with their large vehicles.The second picture is to illustrate the parking lot situation. If there happens to be a parking lot where you want to go, you can be assured that you will have to be a very good parker to park there. Spots are very small and they not only have lines on the sides, they have lines for the front and back of your car.
Not sure how Trina would park that Excursion in Japan. And the 3rd picture shows what a carport looks like (if they don’t have a garage, which most people don’t). Notice the gate on the side of the car; it goes up and over the car when it is open. 
And I love how they have the shade on top…not sure if it is for shade or rain. And yes a lot of them have to parallel park or back in.
I love this bus stop. I see it everyday on my walk to school and it just makes me laugh. Having an umbrella with you is very common here in Himeji
(I am convinced that we are closer to the sun here, it is very hot when the sun beats down on you), however some one thinks that this bus stop is extremely hot. It is the only one I have seen with its own shade.
This is the local Christian church in our neighborhood. For those of you who aren't brushed up on all that is Japanese, only about 1% of the population here are Christians. RJ and I decided to go to service one Saturday night. They have an English service on Sat. at 7pm. It is very old school and very long (2hrs). RJ was a trooper and lasted through the whole service. Which was a great thing seeing how there were only 3 of us in attendance (Miss Chris from Australia went with us). We wouldn't have been able to leave early without being noticed.
They are trying to grow their English service, so we might go back, but we found out they have Sunday School at 9am on Sundays. I think RJ would enjoy that more even though it will be in Japanese.
And I love how they have the shade on top…not sure if it is for shade or rain. And yes a lot of them have to parallel park or back in.I love this bus stop. I see it everyday on my walk to school and it just makes me laugh. Having an umbrella with you is very common here in Himeji
(I am convinced that we are closer to the sun here, it is very hot when the sun beats down on you), however some one thinks that this bus stop is extremely hot. It is the only one I have seen with its own shade.This is the local Christian church in our neighborhood. For those of you who aren't brushed up on all that is Japanese, only about 1% of the population here are Christians. RJ and I decided to go to service one Saturday night. They have an English service on Sat. at 7pm. It is very old school and very long (2hrs). RJ was a trooper and lasted through the whole service. Which was a great thing seeing how there were only 3 of us in attendance (Miss Chris from Australia went with us). We wouldn't have been able to leave early without being noticed.
They are trying to grow their English service, so we might go back, but we found out they have Sunday School at 9am on Sundays. I think RJ would enjoy that more even though it will be in Japanese.The famous vending machine across the street from our house. This is one of Mitch's favorite things about living at Shirasagi. They have soda, juice, coffee and water in the ones on the left. The big one on the right is a liquor one and the small blue, white, red one is for cigarettes There are times when people will drive right up on the sidewalk so they can purchase from the vending machines. 
The lady who works there (there is a liquor store behind the machines) has become great friends with RJ and Sara She even walked with me to school one day It was a very long walk as we couldn't communicate with each other. But she is a very nice lady.
The lady who works there (there is a liquor store behind the machines) has become great friends with RJ and Sara She even walked with me to school one day It was a very long walk as we couldn't communicate with each other. But she is a very nice lady.I took this next photo for all my hairstyling friends (Trina, Diana, Angie, Sheri). I walk past this hair salon everyday and it drives me crazy to see the misspellings (not that we don't all know what a horrible speller I am)..
notice how much a Pearm is...
This is a picture of the famous plastic food in the Japanese restaurant windows. Now you are thinking “why do you need plastic food”. Well if you have never looked at a menu not only in a foreign language but also in foreign letters you wouldn’t understand. There have been plenty of times when I have ushered the waitress outside to point to a plastic dish and hope that I might get something good. Now you ask, “why would I put myself through something like that” Well, Mitch is starting to understand how tiring it can be to take care of 2 kids and a house all day then try to have dinner on the table. And since we don’t have a car, sometimes we just stop at the closest restaurant and hope they have plastic food to look at.
We usually get something good. I don’t think I have gotten anything I didn’t eat some of (notice the weight loss section, obliviously I don’t eat everything they bring me). It certainly makes for great conversations when you find new things in the windows.
notice how much a Pearm is...This is a picture of the famous plastic food in the Japanese restaurant windows. Now you are thinking “why do you need plastic food”. Well if you have never looked at a menu not only in a foreign language but also in foreign letters you wouldn’t understand. There have been plenty of times when I have ushered the waitress outside to point to a plastic dish and hope that I might get something good. Now you ask, “why would I put myself through something like that” Well, Mitch is starting to understand how tiring it can be to take care of 2 kids and a house all day then try to have dinner on the table. And since we don’t have a car, sometimes we just stop at the closest restaurant and hope they have plastic food to look at.
We usually get something good. I don’t think I have gotten anything I didn’t eat some of (notice the weight loss section, obliviously I don’t eat everything they bring me). It certainly makes for great conversations when you find new things in the windows.I saved my favorite this month for last. No one ever mentioned the different style toilets they have here in Japan. I know you all want to know about the bidet we have in our apartment, but that is nothing compared to the Japanese style toilets. They are basically a nice hole in the ground. Thank God my parents took me camping all those years as a child!!! Now, I haven't mastered it completely, but I am getting better about using them in public places. And luckily there is a Western style toilet at work for when I really need one. Needless to say it took me about a week to find it as I didn't think to look for one. 
Now the next time you take a book or newspaper into the bathroom with you, be thankful you can rest while you read...
Now the next time you take a book or newspaper into the bathroom with you, be thankful you can rest while you read...See you all next month....
