2005 Japan Trip: Karuizawa

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.

grassy field with trees

We arrived at the end of the TEAM conference and I enjoyed seeing a number of friends from childhood years.

eating at tables in a cafeteria

Mom then took us around a pond where Dad had courted her 40-some years ago.

pond with ducks

It was very beautiful there.

green pond with shade trees

So we took a family picture of us kids with Mom.

Larry, Carolyn, Lisa, Marilyn

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

compact hatchback

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

Larry with arms wider than car

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 browned.

Lisa and her girls around table

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

Mom & me and spouses around table

I expected the average Japanese person to be taller than when I had left Japan at 13 years old. I had always been the tallest one around. On this trip I still saw nobody taller than me.

In this picture, there is no perspective distortion and the door frame really was short. Short structures were not uncommon.

Larry in front of door

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

street with walking shoppers

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

little dog with pink skirt

Many missionaries went to Karuizawa in the summers because it was cool up in the mountains. They started the Karuizawa Union Church.

outside of wooden building

Both Mom & Art have lots of warm personal history in this place.

This was where Mom and Dad met when he asked her to accompany him for singing.

mom playing piano in church

Across the street from the Union church parking lot is a tennis court where the (previous) Japanese emperor had courted his wife when he was crown prince. Art had watched it happening. That was the same summer when Dad courted Mom.

clay tennis court
As we were walking back from town we caught ourselves in one of the frequent traffic mirrors.

round convex mirror and our group

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

straight road with tall trees

At the conference we also got to spend time with Art's son-in-law and daughter Tim & Eileen. They had a cabin nearby on some other TEAM property, and we had a great time hanging out with them.

at picnic tables, shade trees

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

shed for wifi
Brooke & I found a lizard there.

lizard on Brooks hand

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

eating a bento

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

on platform train arriving

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

Nagano train station signboard

And a local two-car train took us to Nakano where we overnighted.

riding on a small train

Next morning we went to Nojiri for church.