Culture Day

So today in Japan was a national holiday, Culture Day. I have Mondays off work anyway, but today, because it was Culture Day, I decided to be adventurous and find some culture!

I wanted to find "daisen-kofun" the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, one because it is the biggest tomb in Japan, and two because it is pretty close to my apartment (according to Google Earth anyway).

It's pretty cool looking right??

So I set off trying to follow the directions I found on Google Earth, and.... well... I digressed a bit and found myself kinda lost in the Mikunigaoka area. However, I found a Lawson conbini and had some lunch (I do not recommend the mix sandwiches... bad choice) and headed off into whatever direction thought would bring me to the culture.

So I walked and walked, probably through people's back yards and stuff, trying to find this tomb, and finally I thought I found it! So I walked around, and took some pictures, and decided to head home. Then, I found a temple on my way home... and also realized I had walked the whole way to Mozuhachiman area, the next station from mine. After playing in the culture and getting weird stares from Japanese people, I figured, eh I should go home, it will be dark soon... but... when I tried to walk home, I realized I had no idea where I was. The next plan was to find a train station, and I could make it home that way.

Well, I didn't find any. So I walked and walked and walked and walked, and WALKED until I found train tracks! I was excited, but then was thrown off by a sign that said, "This way for the horses!"

Soo I figured I could stop and see the horses.... but it took way too long to find them. Finally, I did, and I took pictures of them. These Japanese kids looked at me like I was crazy, but maybe I was. I felt like I wasn't really welcome, so I left the horses and tried to find a station. I walked beside the train tracks for maybe 25 more minutes until I found Fukai station!!

I had no idea where Fukai was, but I knew it would take me somewhere, and very quickly. Turns out, it was near my line, and I could use my commuter pass to ride for free... so I got a seat, and made it back to Mikunigaoka....

So, that's my culture day story. I took pictures, but there were too many to post here, so here's a link to my facebook album:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027133&l=1ab79&id=66600082