Japan Day 31 - Last Minute Tourism (4/20)

There is another widely celebrated holiday in April and it's not my sisters birthday.

I don't smoke canibus/weed but many people do and I have no problem with that. It's just not my thing.

Today on the fourth month in the Gregorian calendar year, April, and it's twentieth day (collectively as 420, the international cannibus code set into motion by early Greatful Dead fans in their youth) is celebrated with anything and everything weed related. I can already imagine the "day fog" puffing and fuming over Golden Gate and Dolores park. And in Denver, where the stuff has recently been State level legal, I'm sure they are celebrating.

Whatever your take, being reared in San Francisco and the accompanying culture, it's an unavoidable date in the calendar year. Funny thing is, although sister and I don't enjoy the high, we ended up having many stoner type moments today. So mellow out, put on your favorite thick yearned knit beanie, and grab that pachouli oil. Here we go. 

First item up on this 420 friendly post is this bandana/handkerchief that I only bought because the color and pattern literally trips me out. Still does and that's why I wear it. 

I have enough stoner tendencies without engaging in smoke - I love to watch bad movies, all food taste great to me, I occasionally forget where I left valuable things, and I rather spend time with dogs. And, as any good stoner worth their pipe, sis and I woke up late and rushed in to eat at 10:57, three minutes before they stop serving the breakfast menu.

After breakfast we visited a personal pilgrimage sight. Video games are a preferred way to spend some people's high and so here we are at the Nintendo Headquarters. I never imagined I would see this place, like the bonsai tree, it had escaped my mind - and glad it did because I am all the more excited and surprised to see it now.

Nintendo has a VIP table reserved year round in my heart. As a child I would faithfully read their monthly magazine Nintendo Power from the Table of Contents to Next Month's Preview printed inside the back cover. The writing is no Shakespeare, but if you wanted the drop on anything Nintendo (we are talking pre-Internet days here, young thing) there was only one mag to read.

A giant cat with a red scarf, tripy man. The cat reminds me of Hugo, my sisters one eyed furless cat waiting for her return by the door in Colorado.

On the way out of Kyoto to the south there is a famous Shinto shrine that attracts many tourists for its stretch of bright colored archways which create a gnarly tunnel scene that twists and turns through the sacred grounds. Inari shrine is a must see, must do, even if you are sober and there are so many tourists there trying desperately to catch a photo at just the right turns in the bright yellow/orange pathways that you get horizontal vertigo.

Still sloped with rain, we had no choice at this point, no days left to burn and chalk up as a loss; we have to get sis to the airport in a few days to make her flight come sun, rain, snow, tsunami, or earthquake.  

Undoubtably, the crunchy combo from the flakes of this pork cutlet mixed over the thick and spicy dark curry from our favorite restaurant will make apparitions in my sisters midnight munchi cravings. I haven't even left Japan yet and already I crave them! 

New sushi joint, new sushi. That seems to be our unwritten rule here. And, it's not that difficult of a stretch. Sushi is so cheap here that you can comfortably afford to put your taste buds up for a little experiment in, let's say, uncooked baby squid.

....or whatever this is. Whatever, in keeping with the ceremonial day's frame of mind, everything tastes good! 

The day is getting cold and wet but there is still one more thing I have to do to commemorate this green day abroad: get something official with the date on it! Pleasurably, I signed up for our favorite hotel chain membership club. 

And that's another day of sightseeing between cycling back to Osaka proper. Tonight we spend another dry night in a warm hotel with free breakfast. Somethings you just have to spend money on. And now it's time to kick off my muddy cycling shoes, decide whether my shirt deserves a wash by giving it the ol' smell and see way of oderant grading, and throw on a trashy sci-fi hotel movie.

Love and love,

-A