Hanamaki

This was the most fun I’ve ever had outside the U.S. It was kind’ve a graduation present to myself to go on this “foreign exchange” type program. I got to stay with the Kubota family, and I really liked the two youngest, Ryugen (19 at the time) and Chiaki (21 back then). They were so nice. They got me many presents (I returned the favor, of course) and taught me a lot about Japanese… well, in general. We saw quite a few temples and made paper and toured the schools… the countryside was beautiful!