Misawa offers a free tour of the local area when you first arrive. It's actually mandatory for everyone to do, which meant a date-day for Nick and I! (and a bus full of people)
We started with a cultural briefing in Misawa, then headed south to a shrine in Hachinohe.
We learned a few lessons about the cultural process to enter a temple. Tori gates, like the one pictured, mark the entrance to temples.
We learned the process for prayer by ringing bells, throwing coins, and clapping. Not everyone on the tour got it right, but it was funny to watch.
We couldn't take too many photos because it was considered rude to take photos of the temple.
Last, we stopped at the Hachinohe fish market.
Nick was the only one brave enough to try some of the foods that were offered.
These were like little dried sardines. Nick didn't mind these.
One of the tour guides kept describing a sea pineapple. Nick thought it would be fun to try. There was a crowd of about a dozen Japanese gathered to watch the funny American guy try the sea pineapple. Without flinching he ate it. Afterward, he said it tasted like an ocean-flavored bugger.
The Japanese laughed and laughed! It wasn't nearly as good as it sounded.
We ended our tour with a green tea and bean frosty. It was so good!
The best part of the tour was Hachinohe; I would have skipped the part through Misawa. It did make me more excited to see and explore the rest of Japan.
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