After the event at the side temple was over, all of the hundreds of women dressed in kimonos started to wander thru the streets. Several groups paused to allow tourists and other people to take pictures.
This young lady was especially popular, and had several of her friends adjusting her clothing and hair while they took her photo. She also allowed others to take her photo as well.
There were some foreigners also dressed up, and they also joined in for the photos.
Around the Asakusa area were also alot of rickshaw drivers. That kind of job will keep you in pretty good shape!
The next day we decided to take a break and just go to Showa Kenan park next door for a picnic, We went to the local Eco Grocery Store and got a good assortment of picnic foods from their deli area and had a nice slow lunch under the shade of a bamboo forest.
Sisko joined us of course, and we had alot of fun eating, napping and then playing some games such as badmitton and throwing a nerf football.
We brough a blanket and a foam roll to sit on. We brought way too much to eat, but it was alot of fun. We tried alot of different japanese foods to try. Some of those did not get finished tho.
After lunch I took a nap, while the ladies and Sisko rested on the hill above me.
After a while the ladies started to play badmitton. Sisko had a really good time running from person to person...whoever had hit the birdie last.
After a half hour to 45 minutes of playing we were all tired, but Sisko wanted to keep playing on and on..
We came back from the park and spent some time socializing with our friend Yuki, who lives down the street from us. She takes Sisko to the Showa park dog run almost every day, with her own dog, Mimi. Yuki is a good friend.
The next day we decided to drive up to the mountains in the Okutama area. This is about a 90 minute drive from our house. Of course it was raining lightly the whole day.
The rain kept the number of other toursist down tho. We only saw a few people along the forest trails. here is a nice clear pool beneath a small waterfall.
I pose for a picture. Although it is raining a bit, my hair stayed pretty dry looking. At least at this point it did...:)
Here is our destination for this trail. This is the main waterfall for this stream.
Teresa and Sisko climb up to pose next to the waterfall.
Lynn stand by the main pool at the base of the waterfall.
I take a picture of Teresa with the high speed flash on. It captured rain and water fall droplets falling around her. This is a cool photo I think.
I pose again, this time in front of the waterfall. The hair look a bit more damp...:)
Of course it's fun to pose Sisko.
He had alot of fun walking with us and checking out all the smells.
Heading back down the trail to the car. It is about a mile up to the waterfall, so it's a nice fun hike.
Walking over a bridge looking down into a steep ravine. It looks like wood, but the bridge is actually constructed out of concrete.
 We explored the area more, and took another hike up another trail to this small waterfall.
Lynn takes a moment to pose in front of the waterfall.
The next day we went to the famous electronics shopping district in Tokyo, called Akihabara. The weather was overcast again, but at least it did not rain on us.
Akihabara has changed alot since I was there last a few years ago. Many of the hundreds of small shops are gone. They have been leveled and large glass highrise office buildings are there now. But there are still a few of the old style shops left.
Here is the train station of Akihabara, looking down from the elevated walking areas of one of the new highrise complexes.
For a week day, the alley ways were still kind of crowded.		 And there were still a number of specialty shops out there. There is a saying that if you want something electronic, and you can't find it in Akihabara, then it can't be found.
Alot of the small old buildings are gone, and the new craze or theme seems to be anime figurines and DVD's. Here is a shop across the street specializing in these.
Lynn and Teresa stop to pose in front of one of the Akihabara streets.
We pose in front of one of the new glass skyscraper buildings that have replaced the 3 to 5 story small shops that used to dominate the area.
Lynn poses in front of the Akihabara Train Station with a bag filled with her purchases.
One popular way for merchants to sell and advertise their goods to the people who go to Akihabara is to use ladies dressed up as maids. Maids are a big "thing" in Japanese culture...at least in that area.
It was Lynn's last day, and we were very sad to see her go. She is such a good friend, and she was a joy and pleasure to have stay with us. We hope she comes and visits again soon!