We awoke this morning to some clear skies and sun for the first time in quite a few days. Last night's rainstorm was ferocious, but we are getting near the end of the rainy season and apparently that is quite normal. Hopefully, we will have good weather from here on out.

We spent the morning exploring Magome and doing a little shopping in the small shops on the main road. We wandered a bit out of the main town in search of some old castle ruins, which ended up being just a rock wall covered with foliage and a sign. We didn't realize that we had been walking down a fairly significant hill until we turned around to see a steep incline. The walk back up was tiring. We have definitely been getting our workouts wandering the villages of the mountains. We were supposed to leave at 11:15, but due to the rainstorms of the last few days we had to make some adjustments to the plan, so we didn't leave until 12:30. This allowed us to check out the Eishouji Temple and cemetery (where the author Shimazaki Toson is buried) and to get some lunch (fruit, chips, and some type of cheese bread) from the local coop store. Kent also bought a very tasty rice crisp cookie with sugar on it and Christine bought some chocolate cookie type things.

After one bus ride and two train rides, we ended up in Takayama at 5 pm. We checked into our hotel, which is a very interesting blend of western and Japanese styles. You have to take your shows of in the lobby and put them into a locker as all the floors of the hotel are tatami reed mats. It feels a little weird to be walking around the hallways and restaurants of a major hotel in bare feet, but that is the Japanese way.

Dinner started with traditional Japanese appetizers, which included fugu sashimi. Fugu is the pufferfish that can kill you if it is prepared incorrectly. Apparently you need a license to serve it. Kent had already eaten his when our tour guide told us what it was. Christine was a little nervous to try it, but since Kent seemed to have survived, she decided to go for it. It was actually quite tasty! The next course was Shabushabu with the local Hida beef, which is apparently some of the best in Japan. It was excellent, and a nice change from the fish that had been the staples of our meals in the last few days. We are having the Hida beef again tomorrow, and when given the choice of either steak and rice or some thinly sliced beef with the Japanese appetizers, Kent choose the steak and Christine went with the Japanese alternative.

Early to bed tonight as we have a whole day in Takayama tomorrow.