Kyoto

Yesterday we went hiking in Kyoto and visited the Kiyomizu temple there. Many of the leaves are in the process of falling, but the trees in that area are still amazingly beautiful right now - an explosion of bright red, orange, pink, yellow, and green. We were in awe as we strolled through the forest and gazed out over the mountainside. I wish I could say that we were able to get away from the crowds, but unfortunately most places in Japan are crazy busy on Sundays. At one point it even got a little scary...

This is what we had to deal with on our way up to the temple. We were packed like sardines - at times the crowd wouldn't move at all for a long time and there was nothing you could do about it. I've come to realize that Japan is definitely not the place for someone with claustrophobia. It was really starting to get to us, but once we broke through and got to the top, it was all worth it...

Taichi & Michan's Wedding

Here are a few photos from the Japanese wedding we attended on October 27th. It was in honor of one of Andrew's host brothers, Taichi, and his new wife, Michan. Some things were similar to the "typical" American wedding and others were quite different. It was interesting for me to be a guest at a wedding and not be able understand most of what anyone was saying. Andrew translated a bit, but for the majority of the time I just observed the emotions and actions of the the people around me. The first part of the ceremony, held in a little chapel, seemed business-like and actually somewhat impersonal. However, the "reception" and seven-course dinner that followed was absolutely beautiful and included the family cutting the cake together, speeches from previous teachers and co-workers, a slide show, and a lovely song composed and performed by a close friend. After everyone finished eating and socializing, the newlyweds and their families made speeches to each other and the attending guests. Everyone was teary-eyed, and even though I couldn't understand all the words being spoken, the overwhelming emotion was more than apparent.