We got to visit a whine factory and sample a lot of different types of whine - I got a bit tipsy as Miho kept giving her samples to me in what was surely a conspiracy to get me drunk =P.
I got a lot of video but haven't had the chance to properly put it together just yet, so for now here are some pictures, please enjoy!
To get to Niigata prefecture, which is on the west-coast of Japan, we had to travel up and over, around, and often THROUGH a tonne of Moutains. Going through mountains was scary sometimes - the tunnels are up to 18KM long and they DO sometimes collapse but generally after earthquakes or heavy rains causing mud-slides. Anyways, we survived and came out in the middle of the mountains to be surrounded by beautiful fall colored tree covered mountain ranges!
We took a number of rest stops, one at a service area somewhere on Mount Akagi - my mom went there when she was here but it was my first time around Mt. Akagi - and another at a large dam. The above pic is Miho and me on that dam, the view was spectacular.
After we visited the winery and were treated to a very Japanese meal of rice, fish, natto (fermented soya-bean gue stuff, that actually to spite the smell was not so bad and is said to be really good for you.) We boarded a kind of cruise boat and took a tour down the river through the mountains. It was all very beautiful and ironically the scenery reminded me of Canada and Japan at the same time.
On a side note, I've been studying Japanese a lot while I still have time to be immersed in the language. I've become fairly fluent, at least to some degree, if I may say so myself, but learning new vocabulary is an ongoing process. For straight vocabulary-building, I've found a great (and FREE) website called IKNOW that has a number of games and spaced repetition systems available for learning vocabulary and Kanji (Chinese written symbols). I've embedded a couple gadgets in the right panel of the blog here showing my study time and even showing a review of the latest vocabulary that I've been learning. Many of the words I already know but hadn't learned the Kanji for yet so I'm trying to play catch-up in that regard as to not remain illiterate in Japanese. =P
Well, I'll try to get some video of my trip posted up here soon.
Tim
5 comments:
Hi Tim!!! You must feel sad for leaving Japan and Miho behind:( You seem to have grown by leaps and bounds (not just in your Japanese but as a person)because of your experience. We are all looking forward to seeing you back home again. See you at the party on the 14th!
Luv ya!
Aunt Denise
Hi^^Sorry this is kinda random. I was just seeing students who study at Genki JACS. I plan on going there when i graduate High school next year...but its so expense.
Just curious, what is a cheap plan i could go for? I have gotten a couple of estimates, first it was with homestay...WAY to expensive. Then It was in a dorm...still a lil too much. Im Still trying to get it under $3000 minimum. Was it cheap for you?
@ kyubisharingan
It was not cheap at all. I personally recommend Dorm over home-stay having experienced both.
Personally, I saved up money for a lonnnng time (2+ years) and spent a tonne of money as a result, then again I ended up living here for an entire year so the situation is probably different. To me, memories are priceless. Right now everything will probably be pretty expensive given the strength of the Japanese yen.
I'm really not sure what to tell you except save your pennies.
Tim
Tim, how much have you been studying Japanese since you went back to Canada? Your iKnow time isn't looking that great >_< pick up the study pace!! add me on iKnow if you want to.. name is Hashiriya
Hey Timmy Love! What's going on, update me on things. Get online!
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