2005_japan7 Karuizawa (map) is a mountain town that gives some relief from the heat and humidity of the rest of Japan. Initially developed by foreigners, it has become popular with Japanese. TEAM has property there that is used as a conference center. We arrived late evening.

2005_japan8 We arrived at the end of the TEAM conference and enjoyed seeing a number of old friends.

2005_japan9 Early next morning, Mom took us around a pond where Dad had courted her 40-some years ago.

2005_japan10 It was very beautiful there.

2005_japan11 So we took a picture of us kids with Mom.

2005_japan12 We noticed this stylish little car. There were many of this size on the road.

2005_japan13 Notice the yellow license plate: that means the engine is less than 650cc (smaller than some motorcycles). This class of cars has lower taxes, inspection fees, expressway tolls, gas costs, etc, so is very popular.

2005_japan14 We had Shabo-Shabo for lunch. There is soy milk broth on the burner. The thin-cut beef is swished in the boiling broth until brown.

2005_japan15 The vegetables also go in the broth. Each person has a bowl of dipping sauce for cooked meat or vegetables.

2005_japan16 I expected the average Japanese person to be taller than when I left Japan at 13 years old, however I saw nobody taller than I on this trip. In this picture, there is no perspective distortion and the door frame really was short. Short structures were not uncommon.

2005_japan17 That afternoon we went shopping on the main street in Karuizawa. It was a popular place to be!

2005_japan18 A business had this picture cut-out. Here is Mona-Lisa.

2005_japan19 And here is Mona-Larry!

2005_japan20 A fad in Japan at that time was small, cute, costumed dogs. The owners loved to have pictures taken of their dogs!

2005_japan21 Many missionaries went to Karuizawa in the summers. They started the Karuizawa Union Church.

2005_japan22 Again, both Mom & Art have lots of warm personal history in this place.

2005_japan23 Across the street from the Union church parking lot is a tennis court where the Japanese emperor courted his wife when he was crown prince. Art watched it happen. The same summer was the one Dad courted Mom.

2005_japan24 As we were walking back from town we caught ourselves in one of the frequent traffic mirrors.

2005_japan25 One of Karuizawa's hallmarks is narrow, beautiful tree-lined roads. Even though the road is narrow it is two-way.

2005_japan26 At the conference we also got to spend time with Art's son-in-law and daughter Tim & Eileen.

2005_japan27 They had a cabin nearby on some other TEAM property. We had a great time hanging out with them.

2005_japan28 We were also there for the internet connection in the computer hut that allowed us to call back to our families for cheap.

2005_japan29 Brooke & I found a lizard there.

2005_japan30 Next we would go to Nakano on our way to Nojiri. We bought a Kamameshi lunch in the train station.

2005_japan31 Although we could have driven, Mom made plans for us to ride the Shinansen ("bullet") train for the experience.

2005_japan32 We changed trains in Nagano (of Winter Olympics 1998 fame).

2005_japan33 A local two-car train took us to Nakano where we overnighted. Next morning we went to Nojiri for church.