I’m on the Yamaguchi commuter train, bound for the main part of town. School must have just got out, cause high school students flock in, clad in uniform uniforms – navy slacks and jacket for the guys, pleated skirt and jacket for the girls. But at second glance, each one is busting out from uptight, formal uniformity – one girl with scabbed knees, another with raggy pigtails, a guy guffawing at manga, another with slacks that seem to be slacking off a little too much, if you know what I mean. Like their lemming uniforms can’t contain their desire for expression, creativity, to just be a kid.

This is the home of Baachan, my only great-grandparent that I’ve ever met (she lived to be 92…ish?), and I’m absolutely THRILLED to be here! I wish I could go back in time to see her. For some reason, I keep looking at every face I come across, as if I could find her somewhere, and wondering if I would have looked that that guy sitting next to me if she had stayed in Yamaguchi. I look at the people and think – “he fell asleep sitting on the train! I do that too!” or, “They have darker Japanese skin and thick poofy hair! I do too!!” “haha… maybe this guy next to me is my 3rd-cousin 2nd removed dad’s great-grandma’s nephew. I should ask.”

What better a way to tour a city than to grab two wheels and thrash the town on a mustache barred, laaaaaaid back cruiser with a spring-loaded extra-wide seat?! I never thought I’d see the day when I’d ride a bicycle with a basket hanging off the handlebars! But hey, I must admit, I make that bike look gooooood.

On my sweet single speed, I hit up a couple of shrines, the ruins of Lord Ouchi’s castle, Sesshutei Garden, and the incredible Five-Storied Pagoda. Then off to a random restaurant, which turned out to be a sushi / sake bar with a few friendly classy businessmen and a goofy chef and two super-shy waitresses. I make friends with the businessmen, and they give me some of their sake, a pin that says “Mini-Volunteer”, and a pen with a Shinkansen train lassoed off the end. I have no idea what I’m ordering, so the chef holds up some raw fish by the tail and I’m like, “uummmm… OKAY!” I end up eating some sashimi so thinly sliced that I can see through it, and then…. A FREAKIN’ DRIED FLOUNDER!! They chef recommended it, saying, “Dried flash fish!”. I think, “…hmmmm… electric eel? That sounds good!” You know, flash fish, flat fish, same thing. You know, we use those things for crab bait! Yum. More pictur outr on the flickr!!

God bless!

Jamie