Lisabelle 'nee san--Thanks for the suggestions! I really need to get a knit cap this weekend. The air is getting really cold and while I was waiting for the bus this afternoon, my ears were starting to sting from the wind. A humidifier is definitely on the list of things to buy. I keep forgetting to moisturize my hands so my knuckles are getting really dry and even cracked in a couple of places. I'll be so happy if I can get through winter without freezing to death.

I wish it only took 50 minutes to get to Tokyo on the bullet train. While I had to take other trains to get to my final destinations (Shinjuku and then my apartment), the bullet train took 150 minutes to go from Aomori to Omiya station in Saitama prefecture about half an hour away from Tokyo itself. Hahaha, love the lucky charms joke!

Tokyo--So I went to Tokyo this weekend. It was fun, yet rather stressful. After being in a town with less than 10,000 people, it was such a shock to be there. The first place I went to in Tokyo was Shinjuku and there were sooooo many people. Although I had a map of the area, I felt rather lost and out of place. I kept thinking of the story about the country mouse going to the big city. However, I managed to find my way to the Marui Young department store and finally bought the jacket I've wanted to buy for nearly a year. I took some pictures of me posing in it and I'll post one later.

I met my friend a couple of hours later and we hung out in Shinjuku for a while before catching a train to the hotel so I could check in. The hotel was cute, with only 15 rooms so it almost seemed like you were staying in someone's house. After spending four hours getting to Tokyo, I was pretty tired so while my friend went out to dinner with some of her friends, I caught the train to the next station and walked around the area for a little while. It was rainy and cold, so I wasn't out for more than two hours.

The next day my friend's conference began and after checking out I went straight to Asakusa. I didn't know that a metro line shares the same tracks as the train I wanted to catch, so I had a bit of a scare when I realized I was taking the subway. Luckily, I was able to transfer subway lines and got to my destination without any other problems. I went to Sensoji temple and went nuts buying stuff from the vendors lining the street leading to the temple.

Let's see, I bought a collar for a kimono (I hope it matches my furisode). I saw a man attaching thongs to a pair of geta and I thought that was so cool that he makes the geta in he sells that I bought a pair for myself. What else did I buy? Well, way too many Hello Kitty cell phone charms, a Japanese top, senbei (rice crackers) for the teachers at my junior high, a bag made from obi material for my mom, and a fancy kanzashi made from chirimen silk, among other things. Sigh. Although I got paid yesterday, I feel poor now.

When I walked down a side street, I passed a shop with dozens of wooden combs and hand carved hair toys. I was practically drooling over the combs in the display cases. I swear, they looked so smooth and well made that my boxwood comb looked really cheap compared to them. I bought a hair slide that smells like it's made from sandalwood. It's soooooo niiiiiiiiice. I haven't figured out how to use it yet, so I just look at it and drool. Ugh, lovely image. Anyway, the next time I go to Asakusa, I'm going back to that shop and buying a detangling comb. I'm pretty sure it's going to hit my wallet rather hard, but I think it would be worth the expense. Oh, and the temple was pretty nice too. Hahaha.

Thanks a lot, ladies!! I feel bad popping in and out like I've been doing for the past several months, but I suppose it can't be helped.

Lisabelle--Aww, thanks! It would be nice if I could put on a furisode and do my hair as well as Kimono sensei's cousin, but that's way beyond my skill level. I can't even tie a nagoya obi properly yet. I think I need a lot more practice. I wonder how some people can put on a furisode by themselves and not have it look really messy.

Angel Spun--Thank you! I love the Japanese goth clothing lines, but they're so expensive! If I bought all the gothic clothing I wanted, I'd be totally broke. The cost of that jacket was almost the same as a round trip from my prefecture to Tokyo on the bullet train.  Thank goodness that (non-goth brand) shirt was only $10. Needless to say, that's the only Japanese goth item I currently own.

Sakina--Thanks! If you ever decide to spend a couple of days in Tokyo, there are some kimono dressing companies that will go to your hotel and dress you up. I went to one website and there's different packages you can choose from which includes getting dressed and walking around town in a kimono. I don't know anyone who's done that, but it might be something to look into.

BB--Thank you! There was another woman there getting her hair done at the same time so I'm not sure how long it took; definitely more than 30 minutes I think. First E san had to set my hair on hot rollers, tie the hair at the crown of my head in to a ponytail, arrange the rest of my hair and rats, and then put in the kanzashi. I guess it took about the same time as a girl getting a fancy style done for the prom.

Curlgirl64--Thanks! Glad you liked the pictures! I printed out a few of them for Kimono sensei and she went around the teachers' office showing them to everyone. That was funny, yet embarrassing. It was even more embarrassing when one of her former students paid a visit and she showed the pictures to him as well! It'd be nice if I looked that presentable everyday...