February 22nd: God Is Good, All the time and All the time, God is Good! Thanks to the World Wide Web, we found Tokyo Baptist Church. It was a nice service and everyone was so friendly. It was a long commute, but it was worth it. Here is the video they played during service.
Of course we did a bit of shopping and I fell in love with this t-shirt. This is one of those, “You shoulda bought it when you saw it!” moments. I could have worn it to the gym.
After my chat with Colonel Harland Sanders, we headed back to E-Village where I fried chicken for the Black History Program.
In order to keep my G.R.I.T.S. gold card...how was the chicken????
Bone licking good! 
It was a lovely evening. Ian did an outstanding job organizing the event. Everyone was asked to come with an African American in mind that was of influence. Here is our group photo!
Later, a few of us were sitting around talking and a glass dish spontaneously combust. Glass went everywhere. The evening ended with my cousin burning sage, which was both amusing and uncomfortable.
Now I lay me down to sleep....Good Night!
February 2oth: Before heading to the salon, Mattilyn and I decided to grab a bite to eat. I suggested a noodle house at the metro station. Ordering food was a process. First, the menu is a poster on the wall. Each entry is assigned a number. Once you decide what you want, you order from a machine. Think venting machine. Next, you pay and you take your ticket to the counter, give it to the cook and they prepare your meal. It was pretty simple. Of course, we had no idea what we ordered. A nice gentleman showed us how to order whatever we pointed to. So we got two different meals and shared. Press play to see the outcome.
Off to Studio 808. This is where I met Eko. Fellas if you are going to Japan and need a hair cut this is the place. Ladies, for the best shampoo job in your life, sit in Ekos chair. His fingers are hypnotic! I was expecting to walk into some stylish salon, decorated according it's Feng Shui with miniature water fountains and bonsai trees, but to the contrary, it was a one room shop with stacks of VIBE and Black Hair mag on the counter. Pictures of Rhianna and Janet plastered to the walls and hip-hop videos were on TV. It felt and looked like I was @ home in South Carolina and I loved it! While I was getting my hair styled, Eko had me translate the a few hip-hop videos. When it comes to my hair, I am simple. Not a lot of fluff and Eko did just that. The "Flying Saucer' Hair Processor freaked me out a bit, but I trusted him. The downside was it took all day, also like a salon back home, but it was worth it.
The travel channel is one of my favorite channels and recently I have been watching Anthony Bourdain and reading his blog. On a trip to Japan he had these things called, Takoyaki or Octopus Balls. So I asked Eko and he lead us up the street, around the corner, into an alley and up 4 flights of stairs into a one room bar with Jill Scott, Mary J and Ashanti on the CD player and the movie You have been served on both flat screens. We were the only two in the place, so we got the royal treatment.
As expected, Takoyaki wasn't my all time favorite, but it wasn't bad. It was crispy on the outside and the inside was spongy and slimy at the same time, but a glass of Hypnotic topped with Pineapple Juice made it all go down nicely! While Mattilyn did Karoke, I wrote on the walls.
and the night ended with us taking a picture!
February 19th: Today Matt and I headed to Kyoto on a Sunrise Tour. There we saw Sanjusangendo. It houses 1001 statues of Kannon, Bodhisttva, dating back to the 13th century. If you are caught taking a photo your camera is confiscated, so I have included a photo from japaneselifestyle.com.au.
“Sanjusengendo, means "33 spaces between columns hall." There are 34 columns along the length of the room, creating 33 spaces between them, and 33 is a significant number in that sect of Buddhism. The temple is filled with statues: one big Thousand Armed Kannon, known as the main deity, set up as the main point of worship in the center; 1000 Thousand Armed Kannon statues lined up in the hall; 28 guardian deities who protect the Kannon; and 2 gods of wind and thunder adding their fierceness. While the temple is a popular tourist and school field trip attraction, it is still a working temple, with appropriate services conducted by the resident monks during the day. In front of the main deity, there are drums, bells, incense bowls, and kneeling cushions that are used every day. “ (Tomoko, Sunrise Tours)
Next stop on the tour was Heian Shrine. It was breathtakingly beautiful. A portion of the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, 2005 was filmed in this garden. Heian Shrine was built in 1895. It is dedicated to the first and last emperors that reigned from Kyoto. 
Here I am crossing Garyu-kyo, a walkway across the Soryu-ike pond. Garyu-ko is made from stone pillars.
Last stop in the tour was Kiyomizu Temple Complex. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water. The name is taken from the water fall near by. The temple complex includes several other shrines.
Boo-Yaow! It was only a matter of time. A pink and green temple! I love my A-K-A! I love it! I love it! I love it!
After 6 hours, we were templed out. Osaka is known for its food. So I could not leave without tasting Okonomiyaki, a Japanese Pancake.
After 3 cities in 3 days, we were exhausted or “broke down” as my cousin says. It was time to return to Tokyo! After boarding the Shinkansen, it was lights out for me.
What had happened was( LOL I love starting a story like that).
Mattilyn and I were standing at the cab stand when I noticed the gentleman in front of us was unsteady on his feet, and before I could say, “ Get Him!", BOOM! Into the shrubs he goes. After a few people helped him to his feet, he was still unable to stand without assistance and was bumping into me. So I told him ,“ Look brother, I am going to stand here and hold you up until your cab arrives.” I was praying he didn't regurgitate. When his cab pulled up, I walked him over and pushed him in as best as I could. I mind you plenty of MEN were standing behind us. But according to what my cousin could tell (she knows some Japanese) they were embarrassed. It wasn’t the first time I’ve had to do that, come on I went to college.
What that exchange taught me is The Golden Rule, Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you, is trans-cultural.
Daijoubu, Oyasuminasa!
February 18th: Today was fun! First thing was Universal Studios.
After hitting a few rides with the guys I ventured off by myself. Took a few pictures. More shopping. Made a friend. 
After dinner, it was time to do something I have never done before. It was 8 of us. I was so excited for my first time to be in Japan.
I went to a spa!
Spa World was a 24 hour 6 floor onsen in Osaka. An onsen is another word for hot spring. During check in you were assigned a wrist tag as your ID. It will just record your bills in the computer; you then pay the total on check-out., so no cash needed.
First stop was a red pepper and ginger bath. This spring was outside.
Next stop, Shea Butter, Collagen Placenta bath. It was heavenly!
Speaking of heavenly... next was an hour long full body massage with sandal wood oil.
Next was another unforgettable experience. A fish pedicure. In some countries they use this method to treat variety of skin ailments, like psoriasis, but for us it was strictly vanity and curiosity. The fish nibble on dead skin (heels and cuticles). Now...I had to take a min and get myself together b/c the thought of something eating my flesh as I watched was freaking me out, but for $12 you get 12 mins and I figured 12 mins isn't that long. The feeling isn't painful at all; it was more ticklish than anything. Something like a vibration. The little fish {Garra Rufa} didn't hold back either and I’m glad b/c when my feet emerged from the water, they felt better than expected. Press Play to see the little creatures @ work!
This little momma was enjoying the spa with the big girls!
Here are the guys goofing around in their spa attire. I said smile and they hit a Sashay Shantay!
After the pedicure I hung out in the rest area. That last all of 10 mins.
Then I was off to the Salt Sauna while the others went for another massage. The salt sauna was really intense. So after 10 -15 mins, I had enough and headed for another round in the different baths. We were there for hours and I could have stayed all night to be honest, but all good things must come to an end, right? Wait who said that??? ( I looked it up.Chaucer, 1374) Obviously, he has never been to Spa World! If you ever visit Osaka, Spa World is a must!
Unfortunately, my evening wasn’t over. In order to play hard, you have to work hard. I had to update my resume, write a cover letter, complete application, share it with Monya via Google documents and make sure it was faxed( and emailed) by close of business Eastern Time. That is the one thing that felt wrong about this trip, not having my crony along, but we have less than 200 days until our summer vacation. After that was done, I took a walk to Lawson’s (a corner store) to get something to eat, and right as I was falling asleep, another earth quake…Good Night!
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Dinner was in a cute little place called Rainforest Cafe. Curtis joined us. Going home the train was TIGHT! A perfect photo op! Look at ole dude in the back ground!
Dinner was in a cute little place called Rainforest Cafe. Curtis joined us. Going home the train was TIGHT! A perfect photo op! Look at ole dude in the back ground!
