The best part about having family in the country I chose to study abroad in is that my family spoiled me nonstop. Not only did they pay for expensive meals, they took me on weekend trips from time to time. This time, my aunt and uncle took me to Takayama -- a place at which, though it was raining, I got to relax and breathe in fresh mountainous air.
Evergreens under the misty air.
My uncle speeding through the mountain roads.
Rain didn't stop my uncle from finding the best view of the waterfall.
The roaring waterfall...
and marble lovebirds...
and even the "monkey babies" hanging in front of stores...
and especially the street food vendors...
...were all part of a lovely and unique experience.
My uncle took a couple minutes just taking in the fall foliage...
...that surrounded us wherever we went.
A big pot in which a lot of stew is made for the annual festival in a small town by Takayama.
Walking along the streets of Takayama.
Young men try to decide what they want for lunch. Will it be soba noodles?
What my uncle had in mind for us, though, was a 10-course meal that came with a mini hot pot for each of us. It was delicious!
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Although I had already gone to Takayama with IES Abroad Nagoya, going with family was a very different experience. The rain put a damper on our adventures, but I still enjoyed the fall mountain landscapes as well as the cozy town. I recommend Takayama for those who want to experience both the nature and street markets and vendors of Japan.
Deanna Stout
<p>Kamishibai is a Japanese style of storytelling that was popular in the first half of the 20th century. These narrators were street performers of a sort -- they read a variety of stories from a series of illustrated paper boards, entertaining the commonfolk before the emergence of television. I will blog about my experiences in Japan through a modernized version of kamishibai, telling my stories through a series of photographs and their corresponding narrations that will be similar to a novel.</p>
