October 30

Well, we had a later start to the morning, so I ventured to the Zojoji Temple next door (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3010.html) to the hotel. There were these little statues with knitted hoods on them, signifying that someone came to pay respect to their child who died. There was also a tomb to a samuri who had committed hari kari. You can see from the photos there are rows and rows of these little statues.

Our speaker today talked about art tradition in Japan. Traditional Japanese art had been looked down upon by the Japanese, and not as superior as the art found in Europe. As a result, traditional Japanese art has not been stressed in the school system today. We made some paper toys during this session. We were also told that becuase Japanese eat with chopsticks, create paper toys or origami, that they have great hand and finger dexterity. By the time a child is three until they are six, they have folded origami thousands of times, and are origami professionals in the first grade.

After this session, I decided to head out solo for lunch, to experience what it was like without a group of Americans. I was somewhat uncomfortable, as I kept getting stared at, especially in the restaurant. The hostess was kind, but the customers pretty much stayed away. I ate my food (fried shrimp and rice) a bit faster when the tables filled up because someone came in and the hostess was about ready to seat that person by me, and he refused. So I got up, paid and left as I was about done anyway. I noticed the women eat in seperate restaurants than men - so I ended picking out a restaraunt that men went to, and down the block as I was walking around, I saw only women in another restaraunt. So I was stared at either because I was female in this place, or an American in this place, or both!

Well, I am off to our final session today, then to Harjuku and Oriental Bazaar tonight - our final free evening in Japan. It will be sad to leave in 2 days, but it will be good to get home too. It has been so warm here, I am afraid it will feel very cold at home!! Later, kw