Monday 15th July, 2013

     Today was a national holiday in Japan (Something like national beach day!) so we  met at 12 mid day at Maruyama Park in Oguchi. This turned out to be a wooded area near to the beautiful Hakurei Junior High School. This is in a wonderful location with steep wooded mountains on either side. There we took part in an orienteering competition with the Japanese students. On the orienteering markers were animals which can be found in the park like foxes. There was also a short aerial ropeway which some tried!
   This was followed by an open air lunch organised by the host parents. The food was superb and included chicken barbequed on skewers, noodles floated in water down a pipe of bamboo, pancakes...After some informal games we packed up and went off with our host families. Anna and I travelled to Yuse`s home in Kanazawa and then on to Nanao Port on the Noto peninsula to see a fireworks display.
    We are all well but some (all!) are still catching up on missed sleep! Tomorrow we start with a reception with the mayor of Hakusan at the City Hall and on to Matto Junior High School to attend classes there and to take part in a Japanese tea-ceremony. We continue to be looked after very well. Today`s weather was hot (30 degrees approx) and dry with quite a lot of sunshine! Now for some photographs.

Best wishes

David