japan day 3.

today was our last day in tokyo.  we got up early to head to the imperial palace.  we actually didn't see the palace...but we walked around the east gardens.  they were beautiful.  and i was super impressed with their mote, and their walls made of ancient rocks.  those must have been some buff men building those.  this first picture was at the fancy train station.  the rest are of the gardens. 

after the imperial gardens mom and i waited at our favorite bakery in the train station while dad and the boys went to say goodbye to takahashi-san.  we then hopped on the bullet train to kyoto.  in passing we saw majestic mt. fuji.

we arrived in kyoto and were again in need of finding where our place to stay was.  we wandered around like americans with our suticases attempting to locate this next place.  finally an old restaurant owner was eyeing us suspiciously.  dad asked them for directions.  a nice man led the way [again!  these people are the nicest!] while the old man followed on his bike.  good thing they showed us too, it was definitely in a back alleyway behind another building.  [did i mention they just cram in the buildings wherever they can make them fit?]
upon arriving we were greatly pleased.  we had a step up from the last place.  our very own 100 year old japanese two-story townhouse.  seriously, the coolest place i've ever stayed.  the futons were divine and the bathing experience, two thumbs up.  there was even a 4 foot garden, with garden shoes and two bikes to ride.  we were in japan heaven here.

after getting situated at the new place we decided to head out for dinner.  we walked along the river where the trees were a beauty.  i was happy for like 3/4 of the walk before i got hangry.  luckily we had shabu shabu for dinner, which is probably one of the best meals on this planet.  [you cook your own meat and veggies in boiling water.  mmm.]

after dinner we stopped at what seemed to be a cool shrine.  it was actually a creepy festival.  with a ridiculous haunted house that was quite humorous.  we also met some people from orem and talked to them for quite a while.  that was awesome.  then, we took the bus home.

today i learned: do not ride trains at rush hour in tokyo.  we did and i got shoved against the wall.
i saw6 grandmas with purple hair in an hour.  apparently that's a thing?
for lunch i ordered 3 meals.  none of them i liked.  they like to eat everything here at room temperature. like even meat and hot dogs and other weird things.  curses to my education for teaching me the danger zone.
don't eat so much at dinner.  addison can attest.