Japan

We began our journey to Japan by reading Carole Marsh's The Mystery at Mount Fuji. Grant and Christina found their usual adventures waiting for them in Japan. Their Japanese hosts helped them get around and solve the mystery, and we learned a LOT about Japan in here. As we were reading that, we were cracking our Top Secret Adventures for Japan. Highlights sent me the one for Japan when I first signed up- it was a freebie, except for shipping, and well worth it! When we visited Japan in EPCOT today, we knew more Japanese and more about Japan than any other country we've visited to date! Since each country runs about $14 plus shipping, I can't decide if I would liked to have had these for each country we learned about or not- the puzzle book is consumable, so once it is finished, it is finished- you can't do it again... but it was really fun and educational for all of us... We also "rowed" Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. We followed Say's Great Grandfather and descendants from Japan to California, and back and forth again... It was a nice story about family and tradition and roots... we traced our own Great Grandparents (DD did pictures of herself, me, her grandma and Great Grandma, and DS's found pictures of themselves, their dad, their grandfather and great grandfather). We enjoyed this book, and probably could have spent more time on it, but we had a lot to accomplish... Several of our crafts came from the Japan for Kids website.

All the kids painted Cherry Blossoms.

DS#1 created a Japanese Rock Garden. We learned that the ripples in his garden represent water. He also planted a Bonsai Tree he bought at EPCOT.

DS#2 made a Japanese folding fan...

DD made one, too, and even decorated hers.... We read about Kabuki and Geisha Girls and how they used fans to hide their emotions.

DD & I also made some Origami Cranes...

At EPCOT, we found a Japanese Rock Garden- life sized :-) Note the ripples!

We ate at Teppan Edo, where the Chef cooks right at your table. Our Chef was quite a ham! We loved it!! DS#1 ordered Crispy Eel Rolls, and he and Daddy LOVED them!! DS#2 and DD were not too sure about Eels, but they enjoyed the shrimp and steak (as did I)... Our servers were quite impressed with DS#1's ability to speak limited Japanese- he was able to say "hello," "yes," "Thank you," and "Good-bye."

DD used her Birthday money to buy herself this beautiful purple Kimono- she looks like the Bamboo Princess here... We heard this Japanese fairy tale when watching Big Bird in Japan (although they told it a bit differently on there).

I would say the only "bad" experience we had, was when we asked one of the ladies in "Japan" what a traditional treat might be, and she sold us this little bag with four blocks in it. It turns out that those were blocks of red bean jelly, or Yokan, and even DS#1 (who eats just about EVERYTHING) spit it out quickly! Ah well, live and learn...

Reaching our last country in EPCOT is a bitter sweet achievement. Our passes expire in just about two weeks, and I'm glad we were able to learn about all of the countries, but it has been a fun trip, and I'm a bit sad to see it come to an end... We will be moving on to some Beyond FIAR books from here, and perhaps visiting other countries in books, etc- I know DS#1 would like us to study about Australia sometime soon, so that will probably be first on the list... "Arigato" for reading my blog, and, until next time, "Syonara!"