When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.

The main walkway leading into the mountain.

Me standing next to a torii gate.

 Usually Friday mornings consists of a weekly test on my Japanese language skills followed by a "Friday Project" which ranges from koto lessons to calligraphy. This Friday the test was moved up a day so JCMU students could have more time at the elementary school we were visiting. I was not excited. It was the morning, I was tired, the idea of screaming first and second graders everywhere did not sound like a good time.

I was mistaken.

Visiting the school has been my favorite Friday project thus far. All the JCMU students got split up between ten or so different elementary schools in the area. I, along with three other JCMU students, visited 156 first and second graders at Takamiya elementary school. We waited in the principals office until a group of four second graders came, with their teacher, where they took each us by the hand and lead us into the gym where 70 or so children were waiting for us and started applauding as we entered. We were than sat down in front of all these children and they sang for us. This was followed by a game of dodgeball. It took me till I was in jail to figure how they play, but it was still a lot of fun. The children would just drag me to where ever I needed to go. The first graders second hour was pretty much a repeat except we made paper airplanes instead of dodgeball, which I'm pretty sure turned into gaijin target practice, but again still fun. Sorry there are no photos I was having too much fun.

Afterwards, my roommate and I spent the afternoon in Kyoto. We wanted to go to both Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine and Arashiyama, but the shrine was a bit more than we anticipated so we didn't make it to Arashiyama. The shrine is famous for the torii gates all lined up. It was massive and very impressive. Most of the pictures I've seen of the place are of the main walk way, which is flat. We come find out however it's actually built into the side of a mountain. It was a beautiful but exhausting climb.

There are thousands of torii gates located along the pathways.

One of the many miniature shrines located along the pathways.