Farewell to Unzen, Nagasaki

Our group was treated to an overnight stay at the Kyushu Hotel - a hot springs japanese style ryokan. The sulphur water is believed to have healing effects and is a popular tourist spot for the japanese. We had already checked this place out on Tuesday and had spied a cool little pottery place on main street - we were devastated when it was closed. The hotel actually called the owners and they opened just for us - (we made it worth their while). The owner had her own pottery wheel right in the back of the room, and she gave us a 20 % discount and pepsi, to boot! She was so happy to have such good customers, and I was so happy to find something that was authentic - not made in China.

We were treated to a beautiful dinner - very fancy, 5 courses, and the food was really presented beautifully. Unfortuneately it was raw squid and other unidentifiables, but it was really pretty. I'll post a picture. We were served by girls in kimonos, the food was cooked with little candles right on our little tables on the floor, and we wore our Jakkata, or bath robe. When you give a toast in Japan, you say "Kam - Pai" - it's like 'cheers'. After the meal we sang Karaoke - which is huge here in Japan. There are karaoke places everywhere. You can pay 2,000 yen ($20) and rent a room with a karaoke machine with yuor friends. We had a contest - like American Idol minus Simon Cowell. I sang ' material girl' by Madonna (inspired by my earlier shopping spree). It was pathetic. There weren't many songs to choose from in english though, so you'll need to let me off the hook.

At a Ryokan (pronounced YOKAN) - ther are communal baths in the hot springs. The maids lay out your beds at 8:00 pm (futons) on tattammi mats - (made of rice straw). You do not wear shoes, and walk around in bath robes called "jakkatta". It would remind me a little of an American Spa. We had a good time.

The next morning we stopped by the Unzen Dept. of Ed to say good bye. The whole staff waved American and Japanese flags as our bus pulled away. It was very nice. We were getting used to feeling a little bit celebrity, as we made the tv news every night, and the paper twice. There had never been a group of Americans stay in their town in this manner.

Now it's back to reality - on to Tokyo.