Yuki

Yuki is a town east of Oyama.  It was a sunny day on Monday so we rode our bikes over to the area.  The town was far less happening than Oyama and reminded us of Iizuka, where we had lived before.  Let's just say I'm glad to be living in Oyama this time around.  Even so, Yuki was a cute little town that seemed to have a shrine or temple around every corner.  We're thinking it could be a good place to come during New Year's celebrations.

The rest of the day we lazed about and Drew took a trip to the onsen.  I've had an experience in an onsen once before, the last time we lived in Japan.  I just wasn't ready to have another one.  An onsen is a hot spring.  When you go to one you shower yourself off and then get in the hot spring, naked, with other people of your same gender.  Unless you live out in the boonies where they have mixed gender onsens.  I find the whole experience quite unpleasant.  People already have more of a tendency to stare at me because I'm a foreigner and I really don't want to be stared at while completely exposed.  Drew, of course, ends up making friends and chatting it up with the old guys every time he goes.  Not surprised...