I went to 群馬！

So for Golden-week (really just a three day weekend) I went to see my old homestay Satoru's family in Gunma. The name means 'group of horses' so you know its gonna be countryside. Once again, instead of saying something thought-out and coherent... I'm going to throw up some pictures and talk about them! Time has been passing by really fast lately, I can't believe its already been two weeks since I last blogged!

Here is Sato and I. I rolled out of bed and through the shower and found myself on this platform in the early hours of the morning (okay... 9AM... early for a weekend...) and ready to go for a 2 hour trip to Gunma!
This is Sato's house. Things of note here include the fact that his dad built the whole thing. Yes the whole thing. He is a carpenter and he told me that his hobby is building houses in his free time. A real Man's man. And truly it's a nice house no? Here is Sato's car. I think it actually looks bigger in this picture than it actually is. I don't know that I've ever been so scared riding in a car. It didn't help that we are zooming down small rain-slicked mountain roads....oh and the fact that Sato hit a wall... twice also added to my fears.

These are some Gundam action figures. I saw them in a barber. They were made entirely of paper! Its called papercraft, I've seen them before but never this complicated.
The next day, we went to the Toy and Doll/and antique car museum. It was started by the head of a hospital who had a large collection of (guess) Toys, Dolls, and Antique Cars (he should pick just one) and decided to open his own museum (this is also where Sato rammed the wall twice).
Taken in the Teddy bear section. I don't know why needs the flying bike if he already has wings.
This is Monchichi. He's ugly, but purposefully so
These are kyupii babies... also purposefully ugly... and in even worse colors.
An aforementioned antique car.
Teddy Chess!
Okay, the most ridiculous exhibit. This is a cage, for squirrels... yes squirrels. Apparently Japanese people don't see them very often and they find the undeniably cute. I'm going to charge admission for people to come over to our house in Va and walk around the lawn.
Udon Noodles. And some tempura in the top right corner.

Anyway, the rest of Sunday was spent visiting Satoru and his friends all-guy and all-girl (respectively) high schools. The weather really didn't cooperate all day as it was raining and dark. Still I ate lots of good food, spent some quality time talking to Sato's family, and got some much deserved sleep. Monday morning came and the sky opened up. I went to the public hot springs, layed naked in the sun for an hour, took this picture (after getting dressed) and then ate lunch and returned back to Tokyo.

Overall, Gunma was much very relaxing, and I found that the people there were much more open to speaking with foreigners than those in Tokyo. I guess Tokyo is just too much of a world-city, but visiting the countryside reminded me of all the cultural aspects of Japan that I also enjoyed. (Not to mention pretty mountains!)