Niigata City

When I got home I found out that classes weren't starting for a couple more days to I quickly planned a little trip up to Niigata City to see the aquarium and the newest Miyazaki film. This is the view of Niigata City, if you see the ocean out in the distance that's looking west from the building, if you look closley way out in the ocean in the haze is Sado Island. (I posted pictues of Sado some time ago) Beautiful huh?







This is the Bandi Bridge. A famous bridge in Niigata.





We went to the Niigata Aquarium. I liked the penguins best!











After the aquarium we went to go get some food and thought that for an adventure try a resturant that's not equipt with any english helps. I ended up with some sort of animals stomach mingled with pasta. Then as soon as we left we went next door to the ever loyal COCO Curry house (popular curry fast food)Then we hit up the theater for the new Miyazaki film. It was kinda a 'Little Mermaid' type story with no mermaids. It was soooo dang cute! I loved the cutiness. Also I thought that the 'traditional' textures that where added where really neet. It was so fun and really nice to get out of Tsubame.

My Bike

Since John asked me again about my bike, here it is. I totally love this thing except for that the tires have popped on me twice. However it's very stylish with it's quaint basket and dainty bell accompanied with the night light and back platform. ^______^

Whelp it was time for a break and time to get out of the Tsubame/Yahiko area. So Bridget and I left on the train to go norht to Shibata. We had a two hour lay over in Niitsu which means next time we go we can sleep in and catch the next train with out a rush. But we enjoyed catching up and honestly it's just really nice to get some gab time in.
Finally we made it to Shibata, it's a pretty city. We got out our maps and despite several gaijin moments and making several cirlces we finally got to the Ayami family castles in Shibata! I'll let the pamphlets tell you a little about it.
"Shibata city flourished as a castle town in the Edo Period and still has many cultural heritages...."
"Construction of Shibata Castle was started in 1598 by the first clan leader, Mizoguchi Hidekatsu, and was completed in 1654. After that, Shibata's plitics, economy and culture flourished. The Omote mon gate and Sumi yagura turret remain from the old days are are disgnates as important national properties. Th wall outside the turrets, called Namako kabe, is waterproof. The stone wall is made of regular piled stones in the manner of Kirimoihagi. In recent years, requests to restore Shibata castle to its original state increased. As a result, the Tatsumi yagura turret and Sangai yagura turret were restored in 2004".
After that we went to an amazing museum: Fukiya Koji Memorial Museum, I loved the work! It was so rad and just the time period in illustration that I love as well.
"Fukiya Koji was born in Shibata in 1898. He was a famous lyrical painter and he was also an active as an illustrator and poet".(His illustrations where sooo rad!)











There are also really neet gardens and a bunch of other stuff to see but we got pretty worn out walking all over trying to find some of the stuff. We'll just have to go back again...oh darn. YAY!

This is the Maki Summer festival.
Briget and I decided to have our selves a little roam around and check out the parade. It started with kids from the surrounding middle schools playing their band instruments, then went to different children's groups of traditional dancing, on to adult traditional Japanese dancing. All the dances where neet. My favorite where the two guys that makes the head of the dragon dance, those are always amazing! There's an illustrative story that seems to unfold as he dances the head of the dragon.

When it came time for the fireworks a darling little old lady helped us, rather led us to the prime seating for the show. She's 80 years old, just as sweet as kittens! We talked for a little while but she left. She noticed that it was getting cold and neither of us had brought our jackets or coats. So she went back to her house and brought us two coats each, one to put on and one to cover our legs like a blanket! She was just the sweetest little lady ever! I love little old Japanese ladies!