I keep having to stop and remind myself...

YOU. ARE. IN. JAPAN. What?! I know, right? Its so weird. Sometimes, its so apparent. (like, on the train, or when we try to order donuts and coffee without a translator!) Trying to soak it all in and hold on to every moment and not be anxious or impatient for the next leg of my journey...

I do know that when I finally make it back to Ohio... I will miss the mountains. I love having mountains everywhere. In Australia, in Japan. There is such beauty in the mountains... I may have to relocate somewhere I can partake of them more often...

On a rainy day, back a few weeks, our group did a historical walk of Kyoto. We visited the historical home of Joseph Hardy Neesima (a missionary to Japan) who founded a University there. (Which we also visited.) We also visited the Imperial Palace grounds, and a temple... but I don't remember the name of it- and there are tons of temples and shrines in Kyoto. I'll post more photos soon.