Land of the Rising Sun

This year for Thanksgiving, we decided to take advantage of the time off to explore Japan.  During our week and a half, we took in as much of the mystical culture as we could.  We toured a Samurai castle with "nightingale" floors to warn of intruders, a ninja home with secret passages and hidden compartments, Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum and atomic bomb ruins with heart touching stories and remains, and several temples with exquisite architecture.  We experienced the Japanese tea ceremony learning of its intricate nuances and meanings.  We also happened upon several wedding portrait moments as well as an actual wedding ceremony performed at a temple.  Nature gave us quite a thrill as well with the brilliant fall colors of the yellow gingko and red Japanese maple trees bursting around us along with snowcapped Mt. Fuji towering over its surroundings.  A highlight came upon meeting a Geisha who sat with us during part of our dinner one evening to share various aspects of her lifestyle.  We knew that even seeing one while in Japan could prove difficult, so actually talking with one thrilled us.  Naturally, we enjoyed trying out the Japanese way of sleeping (on the floor), bathing (in a cedar tub), and eating (at a floor table...and we actually became pretty proficient at using chopsticks).  So during this Thanksgiving season, we felt especially grateful not only for all of the amazing blessings in our lives but also for the opportunity to take in this place and people in the "Land of the Rising Sun".