I woke up as it got bright but when I looked at the time it was only 5.00! This was worse than Brisbane in summer time! I managed to fall back asleep and got up a bit before 8. Everybody else was up so we had breakfast which consisted of pizza toast, left over chicken and sashimi, rice, etc, etc. We packed up and left at 9.00. Last thing I did before leaving (with advice) was changed in to jeans and brought my jumper. I didn’t think I’d need them but I’m glad I brought them!
The car needed petrol so I had my first experience at a service station. And was it service! We didn’t need to leave the car, as it was filled and ALL windows cleaned with a rag while we waited! We then drove to a friends field, which is a bit further away than Okaasan and Ottosan’s. This was somebody Okaasan went to school with and by coincidence lives in Nasu too now. She had tomatoes in the field, and they don’t like the rain so we were to put a cover up over them. Various parts were laying on the ground at the end of the field. It didn’t take us long to put up and cover with the sheet – certainly easier given my height. I don’t know how they will go taking it down! It was enjoyable, but a bit chilly on that side of the mountain so I had my T shirt, long sleeve T, and jumper on, and was comfortable.
Our next destination was the Sapporo Brewery. Another friend of their’s had some art showing in an exhibition there so we went to see her and her work. It was the first time we had been to that brewery. We saw a group of people brewing their own beer, so that’s on our list for a future trip! They also had a tasting board – 5 beers for 700 yen so I gave that a go.
It was approaching lunch time – Okaasan had a Raman place in mind but when we got there it was closed (Wednesday’s). So we went to the place we have been before (where we caught the fish when the kids were up here). The owner had just gotten back from a visit to Cairns, where his granddaughter is studying. We had soba instead of raman. On the way out, one of the staff asked Kaoru what words / phrase to use in English for “dipping the soba noodles in the broth”.
We went back to the house for a siesta which was nice and relaxing. I then got a bit of work done, and had a beer (or two) while watching the sumo, before dinner. Tonights dinner was a bit more western style – Hamburg Steak with salad, Karage and vegies. After dinner we watched some TV, had a bath and called it a night.