Toyko!

OK, so this is a bit late, but yesterday, after Tsumu finished her last exam, we went down to Tokyo to meet with Kako! 

She took us to what's apparently the most popular place for tourists in Japan. Asakusa!

This is the front entrance. It's massive!

That's the Tokyo Sky Tree, the tallest building in Japan. 

Out the front of the temple

the 6 story temple. Sadly, it's off-limits to the public. 

We all tried omikuju, fortune telling. You shake a metal can and tip out one of the sticks. The stick has a number on it, and you have to match it to a drawer, then pull out the top slip of paper. 

I got a bad fortune...

So I tied it to the rails because apparently, that can help prevent it coming true!

There are pigeons everywhere here, so why not make a song about them? And make statues of them... And put them in front of a shrine...

Don't ask me what it means. Pretty sure it's Chinese.

I like seeing the differences between common birds, like pigeons. They're all over the place, in Australia, America, Japan, and god knows wherever else. But I like to see what changes. You can look forward to lots more pictures of birds, bugs, and whatever other animals I manage to catch a pic of. I've seen lots of birds, but mostly when we're driving to or from school, so I don't manage to get a picture. 

A matcha store. Everything here is Matcha.

Even matcha ice cream! It's kinda weird, and a bit bitter, but also sweet...

It's nice! I'd definitely have it again!

Sweet bean paste, in dumplings, and fried. Delicious!

I got to hold the red one in the middle. Its design is based on the sword of Oda Nunobunaga's katana. He's a famous Samurai if you didn't know. I didn't! The things you learn...

This was an amazing shop! The worker let me hold the red katana, and Kako took photos for me. I just need to figure out how to get them onto my laptop...

I wish that I could have bought everything from here, but it was so expensive... But I got a Christmas present for someone in my family from here!

A sneaky photo of Kako! 

Don't worry, she gave me permission to post pics of her. 

I always wanted to learn to use these, but I'm pretty sure I'd end up breaking everything I own before I got the hang of it. XD

Guns, in a sword shop. Logic?

I visited a lot of weaponry shops yesterday, if you couldn't tell.

It looks so nice lit up.

I bit the head off mine before I remembered to take a photo, so this one's Tsumu's.

;)

Yeah, these things are real! You can pay someone to run you around town in a carriage. 

Really expensive though...

Like, 3,000 Yen for a 10 minute ride for 1 person. 

Chestnut, raspberry, and Cream cheese.

I like it when train stations take the time to make the walls look nice

No idea what it is, but I like it!

A nice train ride home, until it got stupidly crowed and I was squished between a person and a metal pole...

Yeah, that actually happens on trains. I'm surprised that anyone could actually get on or off.

And a delicious dinner to finish it off!

Another great day in Japan. I'm still having a ball over here.
I never believed graduates when they said "You'll miss school after graduation." But you know what? I miss it! I miss the way Harristown worked, and I miss my teachers, and I miss pulling all nighters, or going a week with nothing but toast for breakfast because I've been too stressed about assignments and exams. Those were good days...
Or spending a whole half hour break, running from A block to D block, then up to N block because Mrs Matheson wasn't in her room, then back to A block to be with friends, only to be dragged back down to the tuck shop by Josh, then back up to A block with Josh, then going back to the tuck shop AGAIN because Michael and Zac decided to get food, and they dragged Josh, and Josh dragged me... Then back up to A block, then off to H block or wherever I had my next class.
You may think I'm exageratingg, but I'm seriously not.
You may think I'm complaining, but I'm really not! XD
I love my friends, and teachers, and all our weird adventures...

Now for today! Been pretty chill, just got up in the morning, went to school and, well yeah. That's it. School was pretty chill too. Mostly free classes, now that Exams are done. I've started reading the 7 Deadly Sins manga in Japanese. It's taking ages, but I think It's worth it.
After school, I finally went back to karate! It's been too long...
I managed to beat Matsu again, but I know that he's going easy on me. Maybe if I keep beating him, he'll start fighting harder.
I also spared against Kyoka, and got punched in the jaw! Finally, getting into fights that I don't get into trouble for! I've been dreaming of this since grade 9!
I don't know why, but I've started to love the pain of pulling muscles during basketball, or when I was practising round kicks and somehow fell and landed flat on my face today.
That was fun...
Anyway, I think that's about it. I'm getting more sporty by the day, not to mention flexible! I think my Japanese may be starting to improve, slowly. And I'm still having fun!
Good night world!