From Ichinohe to Chattanooga

I want people to understand how long it really took us to get to Chattanooga for Christmas. We left our house at 6:oo AM Japan time which is 4:oo PM Chattanooga time. (For the rest of the post Chattanooga time will be in parenthesis versus local or Japan time.) Our first leg of the
trip home is the twenty minute walk to the station. Even though we have gotten up early to be out the door spirits are high. We have eaten breakfast and feel ready to travel. Above we see Samantha on the first part walking to the station.
After we get to the station its time for a local train ride. We took the 6:47 AM(4:47PM) train south to Iwatenumakunai. The journey lasts 28 minutes and is after the walk to the station the smallest part of our journey. The photo below is the local train.From Iwatenumakunai we took the Shinkansen or bullet train, to Tokyo. I love the bullet train its my absolute favorite way to travel. Its fast, quiet, and has a lot of leg room. The only real draw back is the cost, but oh well. You get where you want to go in comfort. For more about the Shinkansen system in Japan follow this helpful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen. We took a 7:38 AM (5:38PM) Shinkansen to Ueno, which is a station in Tokyo that has a line that goes to the Airport.

Above we see the Shinkasen and me on it. We are reaching the part of the journey where we are on a mode of transportation long enough to attempt to sleep. We are also on the only mode of transportation that will allow us the comfort to sleep. The Shinkansen takes 172 minutes from Iwate to Tokyo. When we arrive in Tokyo at 10:30AM (8:30PM) Chattanooga time. We had some time to kill in Tokyo so we did some shopping before heading to the airport to get there the 3 hours before the flight we need according to the travel agent. To get to the airport we have to take a train from Ueno station to Narita Airport. The airport train takes 90 minutes and we actually have to go to the prefecture north of Tokyo. Below the train to the airport.

Next, we have one of the big legs of the trip. We took a 747 all the way from Narita to Chicago. I have to say it was one of the worst flights I have ever taken. Since, it was near Christmas there were a ton of Children on the flight. So there was pretty much always a baby crying especially when we went through the roughly 3 hours of turbulence. Also, to make it even better there was child kicking the back of my seat for the first hour . After that first hour her mother moved her to the seat behind Samantha. The child then spent the rest of flight kicking Samantha's seat and being scolded in at least 3 languages. Lastly one of the meals they served was literally just a bowel of instant ramen that they poured water in. That flight was 10 long hours.

Above the 747 at Narita with sun setting behind it. Chicago was a terrible terrible airport. We had a 2 hour lay over that we though would be plenty of time to rest. However, Chicago only had 3 agents checking passports from 2 international flights. It took forever. We finally got through and had to really hurry to the flight. The flight to Nashville takes about an hour and a half so its not to bad.

Above the puddle jumper to Nashville. Finally we get to Nashville, get our luggage and start to look around for my folks. They are nowhere to be found. There is some snow on the ground so we are getting nervous that they might have had some trouble. So I get some American change together and call my my mom. We had walked past them at the gate and not seen each other. After finding my parents we head for the car for the ride home.

Above Samantha and I on the ragged edge of sleep deprived insanity. The ride to Chattanooga takes around 2 and a half hours. We didn't get home to Chattanooga till about 10 PM Chattanooga time the day after we left. I did some addition and it took us around 19 hours just in travel alone. That does not count lay overs or waiting on trains. It is only the time we spent moving in a transportation device. It was long and stressful but worth every minute to be home for Christmas.

Tomb Of Christ

As many of you know, there are many many strange things in Japan. Many of these things are quite famous online, but this is one that I don't think that many of you will have heard of. It's the Tomb of Christ. Yes, that Christ, Jesus Christ. In the town of Shingo, Aomori, Japan there is a legend that in the missing years of Christ's life he came is Shingo to study religion. Then he returned to Judea for the events of the New Testament. When Christ was arrested his Japanese brother Ishikiri took his place on the cross and Christ returned to Japan. He then settled in Shingo, had a family, and died at 103 years old. I'm not sure to what degree this is actually believed in Shingo but I don't think that it is well known in Japan, because the Church folk had never really heard of it. It really was out in the country too. There were a few signs and a museum that was closed, but no Tomb of Christ gift shops or anything of the sort.
This is the first sign you see for the tomb of Christ. Apparently it has a dance.
This is the Tomb of Christ. Whatever I was expecting this was not it.
Read the above.
The Tomb closest is the tomb of Ishikiri.
I'm Jesus, Samantha is Jesus' Japanese wife, and Stephanie is his child.
Group Picture.
Me.
This sign says Christ's Tomb. Look at it closely you will notice that the Tomb of Christ is brought to you by Coca Cola. Yes, Coca Cola sponsors the Tomb of Christ.
To be honest it was a very strange experience. It would have been just a lovely park if it didn't call itself the Tomb of Christ. However, the atmosphere created by the Tomb of Christ and Ishikiri along with the odd but very serious plaques created such a strange feeling. The final straw in making it one of the most bizarre places I have ever been is the cutout thing where you can be Christ and his rice farmer family. I'm glad we went because it will be great to tell people the story of Christ's Tomb in Japan.