Nagoya
DAY 26 (continued) - Really bad...two hours late in arriving at
Nagoya. Yoshi and his friend Kojima (whom I have made acquiantance
at Hong Kong) were waiting for me at Nagoya Station. Since I
arrived late, they had to change their plans. What plans they had
in mind, I never really knew. However, Kojima drove us to
Kisosensen Koen, which is a place where three rivers meet. Kojima's
Mitsubishi car was really nice, and it also had a cool 400,000 yen
navigation ssytem. Anyways, Yoshi commented that the place looked
like China! We returned to Nagoya Station, waiting under the gigantic
female manneqin, Nano-chan. Takuya and Shinichi were going to eat
miso-katsu with us. Yoshi was busy after dinner so Takuya and Shinichi
brought me to Gasco Family Restaurant where we chatted for a long
time. The good thing about Gasco is that there are free refills.
I have been drinking all day long, first taking advantage of the
free refills at Asian Kitchen, and now over here... I stayed at
Shinichi's apartment for the night.
![](pullboat.jpg)
Kojima & I Pulling a Boat
![](bridge.jpg) Yoshi & Kojima
![](kcar.jpg) Kojima's Car
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![](nana.jpg)
Nano-chan in Bikini!
![](katsudon.jpg)
Eating Katsudon
DAY 27 - Shinichi cooked some really good breakfast. We had to get
up quite early because Shinichi has a part-time job as a lifeguard
at a pool. He dropped me and my stuff off at Takuya's apartment.
Takuya was going to bring me to Nagoya Business School of Economics
and Commerce, the school that he and Shinichi goes too. I had came
here two years ago but I wanted to go again. Takuya and I ate at
cafeteria here. After leaving the university and changing money
at the post office, we took the train to Toyota to meet Toshi.
We arrived early so we hid, waiting for Toshi. When Toshi arrived,
he tried to "sneak" around to see if he could surprise us... Hahaha,
but we got the drop on him... We chatted at a cafe before going to
eat at Denny's. Takuya lent me his super phone card, which I used
a lot to make lots of phone calls all around Japan. The feeling was
good because I didn't have to pay for it! I stayed at Takuya's that
night.
![](breakfast.jpg)
Shinichi's Breakfast
![](business.jpg)
Takuya at Nagoya Business School of Economics and Commerce
![](dennys.jpg)
Eating at Denny's
![](sausage.jpg)
Takuya Frying Sausages
DAY 28 - Toshi Tour
DAY 29 - Shirakawago
![](perform.jpg)
Street Performers?
DAY 30 - Gifu
DAY 31 - Drive to Mountains
DAY 32 - Inuyama Adventure
DAY 33 - Yoshi really prepares good breakfast. I have finally gotten
accustomed to eating natto. I don't think it tastes bad. I didn't
have any plans today so I thought that we might as well take it easy
today. I asked Yoshi about how his childhood was like so we decided
to go to Yoshi's elementary school. To get over there, we walked on
the designated "school route." The school required that elementary
school students walk on this route to school, else they will be
yelled at. The route was not the quickest way, but probably its
purpose was to increase safety. After 15 minutes, we arrived at
school. The school was a little bit more run down than what Yoshi
remembered. We left for Atsuta-jingu Shrine at Nagoyaa to look at
the famous temple supposedly containing the emperor's sword. But
we happened was that we sat at a kishimen shop chatting for a really
long time. Yoshi showed me the public library while he was
returning some books. Aichi has the largest public library in Japan,
because according to Yoshi, people really love reading around here.
At night I had dinner with my brother's friends, Kayo, Fumiko and
Wakasa at an izakaya before heading back to Yoshi's house.
![](yfront.jpg)
Front of Yoshi's House
![](yroom.jpg) Yoshi's Room
![](yhouse.jpg) Yoshi's Cafe & House
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![](element.jpg) Yoshi's Elementary School
![](sword.jpg) Atsuta-Jingu Shrine
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![](tower.jpg)
Tower at Nagoya's Sakai
![](oisp97.jpg)
Fumiko, Kayo, Wakasa & I
DAY 34 - I chatted with Yoshi's dad after I woke up in the morning.
Previously we did not meet because he was either asleep or off
at work. Smith drove Yoshi and I off to the Meitetsu station, where
Yoshi and I took the train to Nagoya station. Toshi also came to
Nagoya station to see me off. They helped me carry my luggage
to the platform. Yoshi was going to go to Tokyo for a job interview
today. He gave me some mochi as a gift, as well as two beers for
Yuka, at whose house I'll be staying at tonight. I waved goodbye
to them and then left for Hamamatsu!
![](thetwo.jpg)
Serious Yoshi & Smith
![](yface.jpg)
Baka Yoshi's Gives a Funny Face