Thanksgiving in Japan

Kids all pumped and ready to head off to JAPAN for THANKSGIVING!

Arrived at Fukuoka Airport, Japan.  Not sure who is more excited.  The kids or Beth.

Cruising along the multiple toll roads where it can cost up to $20 to travel 30 miles of road.  Thank goodness for the free toll passes with the van rental!

Criddle's home in Sasebo, Japan.

Next morning we got up and headed out to a Shinto shrine.  Per Preston's guidance, we washed our hands and face...a ritual prior to final entry to the temple grounds.

After the temple, we jumped into the car and headed to the bay.  We took a 1.5 hour tour around the multiple islands.  Truly spectacular views, just not enough blog space.

On Thanksgiving Day we threw aside the Turkey and headed to a all you can eat, cook it up yourself 'Chinese' Restaurant - Japan style.  Apparently, this is now the Criddle tradition.  Although, it does not truly follow their tradition unless you head out to do some games afterward.  So, we headed over to the nearest department store and hit up the claw game arcade.  

$1 per play.  Unfortunately no winners this time around.  Zane was pretty devastated.  As was Lexi since Zane convinced her to use her money to play his game which he was positive they could win.

Not sure what is meant by the sign next to Preston's head...

But, the ice cream at Hobson Criddle's joint was awesome.

 

The day after Thanksgiving was filled with more adventure.  However, more humbling this time around.  We traveled by car around an hour to Nagasaki Japan to experience a dark time in the history of the world.  There we visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum which is adjacent to Peace Park,  which is near the hypocenter of where the atomic bomb exploded in 1945.  

Above is Savin walking toward to the look out where there you can witness the picture below which centers you nearly where the photograph was originally taken.  Note the tallest mountain in the back is the same mountain that creates the horizon in my picture below.

We then headed into the museum.  I was unsure of how I would feel walking along side Japanese citizens who are there to learn of their history all while knowing that I am from the very country that bombed and destroyed their city, family and friends.  

The first room that we entered is surrounded by vibrant colored art all made from origami cranes.   All of these pieces focused on one theme - Peace.  The history and story of the origami cranes was copied below from wikipedia.  After descending down a small flight of stairs we were greater by 3 elderly Japanese men.  All of whom were likely alive during 1945.  One in particular ran (well...walked quickly anyway) and retrieved a paper crane for each of the children.  We were greeted with smiles and my fears of walking through the museum seemed to melt away.

"Sadako was at home when the explosion occurred, about 1.6 km away from ground zero. She was blown out of the window and her mother ran out to find her, suspecting she may be dead, but she found her two-year-old daughter alive. In November 1954, Sadako developed swellings on her neck and behind her ears. In January 1955, purple spots had formed on her legs. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with leukemia (her mother referred to it as "an atom bomb disease"). She was hospitalized on February 21, 1955, and given, at the most, a year to live.
 On August 3, 1955, Sadako's best friend Chizuko Hamamoto came to the hospital to visit, and cut a gold piece of paper into a square to fold it into a paper crane, in reference to the ancient Japanese story that promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by the gods. A popular version of the story is that Sadako fell short of her goal of folding 1,000 cranes, having folded only 644 before her death, and that her friends completed the 1,000 and buried them all with her."

Below are a few select pictures which represent some of the more telling artifacts.

Below is the Remembrance Hall.  Before you are twelve pillars which represent the hope for peace.  The final pillar in the center contains stacks of documents containing the names of the victims.  In front of the center column and to the sides laid multiple bundles of origami cranes made by school children from across the world. 

After the museum, we walked down the mountain to Peace Park which was essential ground zero.

Above the below photographed tower was where the bomb exploded.

On our way back to the car was a neat photo op with kids on their way home after school.

Saturday the rain had stopped and there was a little sunshine.  What better than heading to Bio-Park - essentially a zoo without fences...

Above is a Christmas tree actually decorated with butterfly chrysalis.

Nixon showing off for the local ladies.