Traditional Side of Toyama

   Saturday, I spent the day sight-seeing around the older, more traditional parts of Toyama!
   My host-mother and host-father had to go away this weekend to Kyoto on business, so I spent the weekend with my Prefecture's YFU representatives. I went to stay at their house on Saturday, and we also went shopping that day. Sunday, they wanted to take me to see Toyama's 大仏 (Great Buddha) and then to visit Toyama's oldest temple (Zuiryuu-ji Temple). I mentioned in my YFU application that I love studying about the traditional aspects of Japan's culture's, and that I am also really into visiting Temples and Shrines! Most people my age could easily get bored visiting such places, but I find them to be a place of relaxation and a place to indulge in my love for history. (: 

   The places we visited Saturday were definitely very, very magnificently built and beautiful to look at, but one thing i really appreciated about that day was that everywhere we visited appeal to mainly all of the senses. Normal, I spend most of my time focused on my sight and everything I could see, but that day I was also more focused on my what i could hear, smell taste and feel~ it was nice. Entering Zuiryuu-ji Temple, for example, you are immediately captivated by attention to detail of the decorations on the walls and ceilings. but, close your eyes for a moment and you are overpowered by the scent of burning incense in the air and the sounds of a gong being slowly hit nearby. It is hard to find any other place that is so appealing to the eyes, ears and nose(: haha over-all, every aspect of the Temple was very relaxing! 
  After visiting the Temple, we stopped at a Tea Shop for a little snack! I ordered a cup of むぎちゃ(Barley Tea) with a side of 抹茶 ice cream♥ YUM~ At first glance, it just looked like regular tea. But when I look closer, i discovered that the tea smelled like honey and tasted like spring ♥ haha, it was wonderful!!!

 Before setting out for these places, my YFU reps took me out for lunch at a Yakisoba restaurant! Yakisoba and Okonomiyaki are my favorite Japanese foods! (: They are so fun to make and are always really delicious! I had a lot of fun that day!

~Jane Claire (｡・ε・｡)