The bullet train (shinkansen) is amazing. We went from Sendai to Tokyo (which takes about five hours by car) in less than two hours! It is a nice smooth ride with comfortable seats and is our favorite mode of transportation.
Once there we met up with Sayuri and the other two kids and took our luggage to Maihama station which is next to Disneyland and our hotel. From there we went to the trick art museum (remember with Emily and Kelly?!). Here are some photos:
We had a great time. We also went to the Toyota place and Kenji had a fun time on the simulators and watching the movie. Hideki was able to build his own car and drive it. Miriana just had a good time trying out all the cars in the showroom. I think she wants an orange land cruiser.
By then it was time to go back to the hotel and have some dinner: the food court at Maihama station. Dinner was ramen and bento boxes (little boxes with an assortment of Japanese food). Then off the hotel: Tokyo Bay Hilton, a Disney resort hotel!:
It was especially nice since we got it for a very reasonable cost and then Nate came and was able to upgrade our rooms because he is a gold club member (or whatever you call it). We ended up on the top floor with a great view of the Disney area, a small fridge stocked with drinks every day that were complimentary, robes, slippers, two free breakfasts each day, etc. etc.
One of the things I have been meaning to tell you about are the toilets here in Japan (YES YOU READ RIGHT!). They are pretty amazing! First, the seats are HEATED! And then they all have some sort of control panel. At the hotel it looked like this:
And the front:
As Brayden said, "Be careful what you touch, because it might spray your bum!"
Nate, Becca and Shawn and family arrived and on Wednesday and Thursday we went to Disney Sea and Disneyland. The weather cooperated and we ended up with nice cool weather (only a few sprinkles). We had a wonderful time. At the hotel:
With Buzz Lightyear and the gang:
And hanging around with the critters:
And still having fun:
We rode and rode and rode and walked and walked and walked! We rode in submarines, roller coasters, log rides, aqua boats, jungle boats, pirate ships, and whatever else you can imagine. And believe it or not, Disney in Tokyo is CHEAPER than the states! It is $107 for an adult 2-DAY pass! It is now over $90 for one day at Disneyland in California! The first day we spent time at Disney Sea which is all themed around the sea (of course). The second day we went to Disneyland which is quite similar to California Disney. We also saw several shows and parades.
On Friday, Nate and family left and this is when we begin to revert back to the first of the week. We were now with Shawn, Becca, Brayden and McKell and so we went to the trick art museum:
The Toyota place where the kids built their own cars and drove them:
Went to Asakusa (went there two weeks ago with Emily and Kelly) to see the temples and shrines:
And relaxed in the hotel pool:
And FINALLY back to Sendai on the Shinkansen (bullet train):
Today at Church the kids learned about Tanabata. It is a legend here in Japan and today is Tanabata. It is about a human man and an angel type woman who fall in love. But they are only allowed to see each other once a year.
So for Tanabata everyone puts their wishes on a piece of paper (in memory of the two lovers who wished to see each other even if it was only once a year) and ties it to a bamboo tree. In Primary the kids wrote their wishes on a paper and put them on a bamboo tree (actually part of a bamboo tree that was put in the front of the church). Sorry didn't take a photo. What did Brayden and McKell wish for?! A swimming pool and a tree house! Shawn said, "Ain't gonna happen!" Oh well, we can all dream . . . .
So now we end where we started! We have three days to have more fun here in Ishinomaki before we say goodbye to the Baxters. May all of YOUR dreams come true!
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