Onsen

Yesterday we went to an onsen (hot spring) in Odaiba tokyo. It was amazing. We got yukata to wear for our visit and we got to choose them, mine was blue. So you out of the locker room and you enter this huge inside festival. There are food stands and games ( i tried blow darts, throwing knives and fishing for yoyos) and stores. We went to an outdoor footbath and walked through it, its supposed to be realy good for your feet and there are like jagged rocks sticking out because apparently thats good for you...Mariko had to get out and walk around them. There were also sand baths ( they bury you) and massages but we never tried those. In the festival we had yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick) and soba (noodles) it was delicious.

There was this huge display for a singer who is very popular in Japan...its absolutely absurd. He dresses in sequined kimonos and has a fake topknot and then dances teh samba while singing. It soo funny. HE makes me think of old elvis but asian.

Then it was time for the frightening part....the baths. So they give you two towels in teh locker room and one is tiny but your not allowed to bring the other one into the bathroom. So you cover as much as you can of your front half with this tiny towel and then you go to these little shower things wear you sit and wash for like 10 minutes. And then your allowed into the baths. THere were many different kinds inside and out. We went outside and they were all very hot...meanwhile there are all these naked asians walking about (none of which trim :S) and they are not at all embarresed...I gotta say I respect a nation who has no problems walking about naked..I on the other hand was blushing the whole time we ewre there. It was really funny going into the cold baht afterwards because Rie is a wimp and took like an hour to get in. So how weird is it that Iv been here a week and have seen my host family naked? Iv never even seen my family naked. Well it was embarressing but fun, and I was glad to get my yukata back on!

After bathing, shopping and eating we went upstairs and went into a room full of lazyboys each with its own little TV and then we slept for an hour. It was amazing I was soo tired. Then we drove home and all passed out asleep.