This is the final post I’m writing before we travel home! It’s Miranda, and I’m writing a little bit about our final adventures in Japan. Our finals were difficult, but we still found time for some last adventures, and we had a few days after our finals to explore as well.
We were so excited to relax with Levi and Mako after our first final on Monday! We went from our final to Osaka and visited an onsen or traditional Japanese public bath before meeting up with Levi and Mako for dinner. Mako just finished studying abroad at ETSU, and Levi was visiting Japan for a few weeks with a study abroad trip. It was so good to see them again!
We also went to a traditional Japanese public bath. It was a...culturally enriching experience. I found it very relaxing, after I got over the initial embarrassment. --Nick
We went to the Shinsekai area, a place with lots of good food and fun activities. Mako told us that we had to play a game where we shot corks at packaged food. If you knocked it down, you got it! Nick and I didn’t manage to knock it down, but we still got a consolation prize snack! It looked kind of like a giant Cheeto. Mako was so kind and payed for us to play. ありがとう ございます! Then we went to a restaurant and bought some famous Osaka food, kushikatsu. Kushikatsu is just fried food on a stick, from potato, to onion, to fish, to meat, anything you can imagine can be kushikatsu. We also tried a little Umeshu, plum wine, and it was amazing! We had so much fun hanging out. Thank you for visiting us Mako and Levi!
During finals week I also received a birthday package from my family! Thank you so much! It made me so, so happy. I am excited to see you soon!
Nick and I decided to take a trip to Hiroshima after our finals were wrapped up. We learned a lot about WWII this semester in our Japanese history class, so we wanted to experience a trip there for ourselves.
While in Hiroshima, we had to try okonomiyaki. It was one of the best things I ate in Japan, and there is a rivalry between Osaka-style and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. I like Hiroshima's okonomiyaki a lot, but I think Osaka-style okonomiyaki has my heart and stomach too captivated...
I won’t say too much about the museum or sites themselves. It would be difficult to do justice to them. It was incredibly sobering and enlightening. The museum itself was intense, but the truth often is.
A book called "Sadoko and the 1000 Paper Cranes" captured my imagination growing up. It showed me the consequences of nuclear weapons I hadn't before considered. She was caught in the radioactive 'black rain' caused by ash entering the atmosphere as a baby. While she grew up healthy, she later developed cancer and passed away. I'm glad Nick and I were able to visit the monument in Sadoko's honor.
It was a very difficult day, but I'm glad we went and learned.
On a lighter note, Nick and I also made time to hang out one last time with our friends Yuna and Koichi!. We went to karaoke together and stayed much later than we meant to. Thank you for being our friends, Yuna and Koichi! If you ever come visit the states, please come see us in Tennessee.
One of the last places we visited was Arashiyama, a bamboo forest in Kyoto. It was peaceful and beautiful, a wonderful final goodbye to Japan. We also spent some time in a cute little cafe and were able to talk. One of the things I've loved most about Japan has been the chance to focus on each other. I love Nick, and I'm so happy I've been able to know him better this trip.
Nick made me take this final picture at Burger King. It was the fanciest Burger King I've ever seen, and, as a Burger King Scholar, I guess I had to take a picture.
We love you all! See you soon!
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