Japan!

Friday, June 12th

After a full day in Sydney, we flew ten hours to Tokyo, Japan. Since I had never been to Japan or any part of Asia, I had been looking forward to this leg of the summer tour. This is the Whiffs' twenty-seventh time visiting Japan, and the reception could not be any better. Each Whiff has a host family, which goes far out of its way to show us a good time. Plus, two young, recent college graduates, Jody and Yoku, have been assigned to help us along the way. On Friday night, we met our host families; keeping with tradition, I presented mine with a bottle of whiskey-- I bought mine Maker's Mark.

Saturday, June 13th

We got up early in the morning to prepare for what would be a remarkably long concert. We sang an hour-and-a-half-long set in Fujisawa, a city right outside of Tokyo. Afterwards, we had a delicious reception, which allowed us to talk with the audience members and the college students who sang and danced before our performance.

Sunday, June 14th

Today was the best day of tour so far. Casey, Jay K., Jesse and my host families took us into historic Tokyo to explore important sites often visited by tourists. We saw temples and cemeteries; we ate delicious street food, including a green tea ice cream sandwich. For lunch, we ate at a restaurant where you take the ingredients and prepare them on a hot pan on your table. Delicious! Afterwards, we rode on a riverboat to see Tokyo's notable buildings, including the Tokyo Tower.

The night ended with a party at the home of Casey's host family. We ate a scrumptious feast that had been prepared by the host families. Best of all, we sang and played games with the host families' adorable children.

Our host families' out-of-this-world hospitality and kindness remind me of how special this tour is. I can only hope that the next few days will be as magical.

About the photos above

-Koki: the cutest child ever

-One of the talented kids at the party

-Jesse and Yoku (sitting to Jesse's right) on the riverboat

-Jay checking out one of Tokyo's many bridges

-Casey doing the same

-Preparing lunch at our table!

-My host mother and I in front of a temple