Home again, home again!  AJ and I celebrated each step of our journey, from getting on the first flight out of Redding to landing back in Redding.  We celebrated visiting each site on my "must see" list, as well as those that I didn't know I needed to see.  We had minimal issues on the trip - even my lack of Japanese was not as bad as I thought it would be.  (Everyone was very kind to the white lady that just smiled and nodded....)  It's easier to post on my home computer, so I will start posting more photos from the trip.  I have waaaay too many photos!

I had a lot of guidance on the trip, from AJ with his experience living there and his minimal Japanese, to his host family helping us with trip planning.  On our last full day in Tokyo, his host mom Wakana and her sister Miwa took us shopping, and by us, I mean me - AJ was just along for the ride and to carry packages.  After shopping the souvenir district, they surprised us with a traditional tea ceremony, which included us making our own macha tea and our own dessert out of mochi.  Full disclaimer - I'm not a sculptor - I use fabric and yarn for a reason!

Here is what I started with - a pre-made hedgehog to copy and the materials to make my own.

Wakana is on the left, and Miwa on the right - they, along with AJ, made the more complicated autumn leaf.

Part way done - the easy part, lol.  See those chopsticks?  They were a critical part of making the hedgehog, and my chopstick skills are sorely lacking.  

 

The finished project, compared to the sample.

 

 

AJ concentrating hard.  He had a bit of an issue - the first instructions were to squish the mochi in your hand and to work it around to start the process.  He got a little over zealous and squished it way too hard, and had just orange mush on his hands.  I'm surprised he was able to keep enough to make the finished project.  (Needless to say, I declined a bite of his...)

We had fun, and theirs all turned out very well.  Mine had issues, but....I did it!  (and just FYI, I am not a mochi fan....even washing it down with macha tea, it was very hard to eat.)