Japan trip Oct 2012

We took a short break in Oct 2012 to visit the in-laws in Japan, including a trip with the wife's parents and her sister's family up to Lake Yamanaka and Mount Fuji. It was nice visiting Japan just as autumn starts, with the changing of the colours of the leaves.

We visited this radar dome, no longer in use, which used to be at the top of Mount Fuji. It was used to track typhoons, and after being in service for 35 years, it was retired and shifted to a nearby town at the foot of Mount Fuji.

We also visited this place near the foot of Mount Fuji, which has spring water from Mount Fuji. Look at how clear the spring water is.

No wonder people would want to use the spring water to make soba noodles. This waterwheel is used to pound soba into flour.

The kids decided to help the locals, trying to cart around a full cartload of corn.

There were quite some swans swimming around on Lake Yamanaka, and the kids tried to feed them.

We also went to this place called Kidsland (こどもの国) where the kids enjoyed themselves, feeding the animals, riding horses and even a chance to walk a goat.

And with Halloween so near the corner, there are pumpkins everywhere!

Here's the kid trying to lift up a pumpkin that is probably heavier than him.