Domo arigato.  That is the Japanese phrase for thank you very much. For my first trip to Japan I learned to say that as well as the language for where is the ladies room?

In 1990, when we were living in New Zealand, my husband often traveled to Japan.  I was invited to accompany him on one of the trips.  I did not really want to go, knowing that I would have a lot of alone time and that I could ÿggtddenot speak the language or read the  street signs.  He insisted that I go and spend time with the ladies in the office so they could practice their English with me.

They had organized a wonderful itinerary for me.  Megumi Katoh was my shadow the whole week.   In Tokyo, our hotel was across the street from the American Embassy. I began to feel comfortable with some English-speaking people around.

On our first day, we caught a fast train to Hakone.  The scenery was magnificent.  That area is known for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji.  Megumi took me into Owakudani, “The Greater Boiling Valley” where steam is still rising from the old volcanos.  People eat eggs that are boiled in the sulfur waters. The eggs  turn black as they boil.  She told me that if I ate one, it would add seven years to my life.  I looked at them carefully, but declined and decided to take my chances!

We toured the Hakone Open Air Museum which was fantastic.  I was fascinated with the superb sculptures that had been collected from around the world. The way they had used the foliage intertwined with the statues was amazing.

We were booked into a Ryokan, which is the traditional Japanese hotel.  First, I had to remove shoes. I was then shown to our room which was totally empty except for a television in the wall.  Soon, a lady appeared with a bath towel and kimono for me.  She ushered me to a hot tub and bath and took my clothes.  It was all very soothing since we had been on the go all day.  Megumi led me back to our room where they had brought a table and rice wine.  We sat on a cushion on the floor.  Pretty soon, my husband arrived and had the same bath ritual. We invited Megumi to join us when they began to bring food for dinner.  It was all wonderful.  When we were finished eating, the lady laid out the mats for us to sleep on.  Someone stayed by our room all night.  The table was brought back with lots of foods for breakfast, and we were thrilled to get a cup of coffee.  What a neat experience!

My husband was off to work that morning, and I was excited about  my plans for the day.  We enjoyed Hakone National Park and a cruise on Lake Ashinoko.  The ship was decorated beautifully, and there were many lovely places to see on the banks. I enjoyed being a tourist and watching all the other people.

Lunch time brought us to a traditional Japanese restaurant.  Megumi wanted to share some Devil’s tongue. She told me they had been eating it for the last 1500 years.  I had to try it.  It was a Konjac plant that was cooked on a hibachi brazier.  It was good!

The cherry trees were in full bloom the day we traveled to Kanazawa. We visited the National University and the Kenrokuen Garden. The flowers were magnificent. A gentleman appeared with a rickshaw for me to ride through all the gardens.  And, I did.  It was a real treat to spend time in such a beautiful place.

The next day we visited the Japanese Alps. My husband joined us for this part of the trip.  The scenery was stunning.  We visited a temple in the Japanese Alps Village.  I wasn’t sure they were going to let us in since our feet were too big for the shoes they gave us. They found some heavy socks so that we could experience their temple.

Takayama was next on our agenda. We visited the Hida Folklore Museum and saw some of the Old House Restoration Project.  The fish and the ducks in the ponds were a sight to behold.

I only had a few hours to buy some treasures before we boarded the plane and headed home. I bought some beautiful pearls which will remind me of Japan every time I wear them.

This was the trip of a lifetime.   As we were leaving, I hugged Megumi and said, “Domo arigato.”

She replied, “Y’all come back!”