made it over!!!

Good Morning! Ohayo Gozaimasu!

It's 9am and I'm sitting in our little tatami mat floored living area at our apartment in Kiire-cho, Kagoshima-shi, JAPAN! The cicadas (in Japanese, "semi") are screaming right outside the window. They are especially loud in the mornings it seems. What a different world... I had forgotten how hot and humid the summer is here. I can't seem to stay dry, but each day that passes, I'm able to adjust to the heat a little bit better. My first whole day here, I was literally wringing wet no matter what I did. But we have an "air-con" (a/c,) so we can use it during the hottest time of the day to get some relief.

Our city is very quaint. A little train station, three supermarkets, and so far, one sushi shop. It's very quiet all the time. But at 6am and I think at 6pm, we can hear the town's music that's broadcast throughout... we've been told it's for the kids to know the time in the evening (so they know when to get home, since it's summer break right now.) I don't know what the 6am one is for... maybe to wake us all up??!

We are really close to the ocean, about a 5-minute walk. It's beautiful tropical colored water, but as far as walking can take us, there are blockades up, so they aren't "swimming" beaches. As I've told some people back home, our city's most notable site are the big oil storage tanks off our coast. They aren't as ugly as I expected, and the view isn't really obstructed. We can follow a waterway right from our place and hit the coast in 5 minutes, like I said, so we're pretty happy to be so near the water. We took the train into the city yesterday, and along the way, there are really beautiful volcanic reefs just north of here, and we saw a family in the water at one, so once we get bikes, and even better, a car, we'll be able to find our own private spot to swim. As for Ben's surfing, he'll definitely need a car to drive down the coast south to a spot.

The train to the heart of Kagoshima city takes us about 45 minutes, but a really nice local train that doesn't seem to every get crowded like those we've experienced in big Japanese cities. Also, it's not expensive at all, so we'll be out there quite a bit for shopping at the int'l grocery store, and many other great shops, which I cannot get enough of. I found a great new shop called "What" that has all kind of scrapbooking stuff, and cards, among other little Japanese novelty items that just don't exist in California! Also, my favorite stores, Lowry's Farm, and Muji are there! 

Here are a load of pictures, in no order at all (I'm not that good at organizing them in my posts yet... need to learn more about blogging.)  Enjoy!

walking around Kiire

our fire station

the koban

our little train station

Kagoshima city train station

our extra tatami room

our little tiny bedroom

local Kiire shib inu dog.  we want to get one... they're adorable

exploring Kiire by foot...

view spot above Kiire,  our new friend Kuni drove us up here.

here's Kuni and me

At our city gym, there was an outdoor sumo wrestling area where once little guy was getting prepared for a match.  

another view point Kuni took us to.  She loaned me her hat, awesome!

our living room

down by the side of our apt. there's this old 80's board just in case...

walking shot... in our neighborhood

view spot... the infamous oil storage

we stopped inside an onsen and saw this amusing sign.  

View of our town from above

This is in Kagoshima city, after the 45 min. train ride and a little street car ride.  This covered shopping area's called Tenmonkan.

beautiful Kagoshima.  Notice the grass that is growing all along and around the streetcar tracks.  Only in Japan!

W-O-W!!!

Ben attempting to grab a prize for me...

what a great name for a store.

this is how we're making our morning cup 'o coffee.

view from our balcony.  

our shower/bath room

bathroom sink and washing machine

we took a ride on Kagoshima's famous HUGE Ferris Wheel.  It's perched on top of a 5 story mall.  Pretty view from way up there!

nearing the end of our 15 minute ride, it was getting dark out.

later in the evening, we had to do some singing...

I take it very seriously

the Brows!

I'm pointing to Sakurajima in the background from the ferris wheel.  It's our active volcano

Sakurajima!

holding on tight.

City view from waaaay up high.

another...

along a Kag-City bridge

...we must wait for the walk symbol...

at an Izakaya we used to frequent in Saga, a chain called "Wara Wara."  

Futatsu Nama Biru!!!!

back on the wheel again, sorry these pictures are all out of order!