Japan for Strangers: 日本到着~ Nihon Touchaku ~ Arrival in Japan

I have arrived in Japan!

The trip took me almost 30 hours. First I went to Denver, then to LAX then to Narita. I left the house around 5:30 AM on the 26th and arrived at around 5pm on the 27th. There IS a 14 hour time difference though.

I met my best friend 親友　（しんゆう）　shinyuu Izumi at the airport. Izumi went to school with me in Niigata. She's working at a hotel in Tokyo now.

Anyways we hugged, I spoke in less-than-polished Japanese but it was fine. She speaks some English now since she works at a hotel. I got on the bus to Utsunomiya 宇都宮　（うつのみや）　which cost about 4,070 yen and rode that for about 3 hours. I passed out sometime past the 1:30 mark. I then tranferred to a train at Utsunomiya Station 宇都宮駅（うつのみやえき） Utsunomiya-eki on the 宇都宮線　（うつのみやせん）　Utsunomiya-sen.

Then I got on the Kurosoi-bound train 黒磯行き　（くろそいゆき） Kurosoi-yuki. I had to ask a high school student on the previous train which one was the right one for Ujiie 氏家（うじいえ） which is where I am in now. I am actually in Sakura-city, Tochigi, Japan 日本栃木県さくら市　（にほんとちぎけんさくらし）　Nihon Tochigi-ken Sakura-shi　right now.

I met two very nice staff at the office. They took me there first then to my hotel. I love my hotel! It's tiny, tiny but awesome! I have internet and cable too!

I went out hunting and exploring for some food and google maps was no help at all. I had to ask directions. Fortunately I speak Japanese! So it was easy.

I had O~i ocha (green tea made by Ito En which can be found in the US at Whole Food's Market as Teas Tea Pure Green Tea for ~1.50 per 20 oz bottle), Motchi (NOT Mochi) Choco(late) Danish and Nikuman at a Lawson and 7/11 (I went to both). 7/11 has an ATM and I can get money out of that just as soon as someone sends me money, ha. I've got about 275 yen left in my account ;_;. I have about 3,000 yen left until then. (~$40) and I spent about 500 yen on lunch (~$5).

I'm waiting for a phone call from one of my bosses, I don't know what he's going to say to me or when he's going to call but when I get hungry I'm planning on leaving. I'll let the front desk know that I'll be out of course before I go.

Anyways below you are pictures of food and the town. More later!