Hello 日本

So yesterday my host family was kind of randomly like, `Let`s go to Kyoto!`. So we went.

We drove there and kind of ended up in this parking lot beside a Lawson (a popular convenience store here). I was kind of like, `ooookay,` until I realised that we were actually going to eat lunch at this ramen restaurant next doors.

The restaurant had just opened, so we were some of the first one`s in. Akiko then informed me that they had seen the place on TV the day before and that it was famous or something. I was like, `ooookay.`

For some reasonn, Koichi was seated at the bar. Then I figured out that it was because he was eating the famous `negi ramen`. The chef was really crazy about having the whole thing organized and we started getting slightly concerned when he made everyone place their water glasses under the table and hold their hands behind their backs.

Then the chef was holding a FLAMING pan and he dumped the flames into each customer`s bowl, one by one, causing the bowl of ramen to BURST INTO FLAMES THAT REACHED THE CIELING. It was pretty intense. I could feel the heat from where I was sitting! I guess they mix in oil with the negi or something, and that`s what makes it catch fire.

After lunch, we drove to Kinkakuji, which is actually the name of one of the buildings in this temple/house complex place. It`s really famous, because the top two floors of kinkakuji are covered in gold leaf. It`s really pretty. There were gaijins everywhere though!

After that, we went to this really epic store (think Ikea but only 10 times more expensive) and I met Koichi`s cousin who worked there. From the store, we walked to this massive department store. We took the elevator up to the 7th floor, which was manned by these girls in HIDEOUS pink dresses and hats. We ate icecream up in the cafe there. After the icecream, we went home.

At 8:30, I said goodnight and went upstairs to hang out for a while. I was listening to music and playing solitaire, when I heard the tell-tale sounds of the danjiri. It sounded oddly loud this evening, so I went to the window and the danjiri is RIGHT OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR. It was pretty crazy!!! Me and the lady across the street were both looking out our windows.

I love summer!