Week 23 - July 8 - 14, Japan Fukuoka Mission

Monday was preparation day once more.  We took the longest bike ride (about 7 miles each way) since Luetta's knee injury.  Rideing down to the Kumamoto Train Station to confirm the bridge is now open after constrution.  It was and allowed us to take a shorter route to take the zone leaders to take a train to Fukuoka for training on Tuesday.

Despite being late at night it was very hot, as evidenced by my picture.

Here is Luetta at the new bridge across the Shirakawa river looking away from the train station.

We passed a 7-11 and a Family Mart convenient stores, which are all over in Japan.

Tuesday was my birthday.  This is the first birthday since the first year of marriage that we had a birthday all alone.  It was very nice.

On the way to the International Center for English teaching and Japanese classes we hear a loud buzzing in the trees.  On the Castle walk we found evidence of my suspicion of Cicada bugs on the side walk.  Their Japanese name is semi (せめ).

At our Japanese class our teacher noticed my wife's attraction to childrends books and bought us classic Japanese tale, sometimes know as the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, or the name of the princess (かぐやひめ).

It is fun to read, but a little difficult since it is written in old Japanese.  Our teachers english knowledge makes it hard to learn some of the words.  It is written in the old style from back to front ond vertically top to bottom.  Since it is a childs book the words have spaces in between which helps a lot.

Thursday we continue to catch a new member of the ward from Nebraska that teaches English her, but not luck. Will continue to try different times of the day.  Here is some scenery on the way since it is about 15 km. out of town.
We enjoying watching the rice grow.

 I suspect these are rice silos.

A closer look at a Bamboo stand.

We are not sure what these large leaved plants are.

And they do grow corn here as well.

Bye for now.