In Tokyo, we took them to all the usual sights, and they loved every bit of it. They cooked their own food at our favorite kushiage (food on sticks deep fried) restaurant, Kushiya, and also tried their hand at yakiniku, grilling their own meats. They shopped up a storm in Tokyo, and then went all by themselves to Kyoto to buy every traditional Japanese craft they could find!

For our first "family trip" in Japan, Brad borrowed a minivan and took us all on a road trip to Hakone and Kamakura. Unfortunately, typhoons prevented us from enjoying Hakone's ropeway, boat ride, or view of Mt. Fuji. But luckily, we stayed at the Hakone Palace Hotel, where we could sit in luxurious, natural onsen (hot springs) all day and night! One of the hot spring baths was inside, next to the shower and dressing room, and the other onsen was set in rocks, surrounded by a lush garden. There was a wooden ramada over the outdoor onsen, so we loved soaking in the hot water, while the rain continued all around. We spent a long time in the shower room, as well, as the Hakone Palace provided exotic soaps, shampoos, and skin scrubs galore. The hotel rooms were beautiful and cozy enough to sit in all day, and Brad and I loved that we could also spend the rainy nights watching videos on the hotel room VCR. Nice touch!

In Kamakura, the weather finally cleared up, and we visited the Daibutsu (giant Buddha), and Hase Kannon Temple. We stayed at the Kamakura Park Hotel, where Mom and Bubby could have a western room and Brad and I could enjoy a Japanese style room. (they were a bit jealous of our room!) Plus, all the rooms have ocean views, as the beach is right across the street! We loved eating at Kora, the Japanese crab restaurant in the hotel, so much that we had to buy a bottle of their homemade dressing before we left.

We really had a great time, sharing the Japanese culture and life with family. My older generations surprised me, trying new foods like tongue, and enjoying the communal nudity of onsens. They even shopped more than I imagined they could. They came to Japan with two bags each and left with seven all together, so I guess you could say they took a little piece of Japan with them when they left.

Bex