Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada

Lest you think we're not getting out and experiencing Japan, we are!

(whether Sammy likes it or not.)  

Monday everyone had the day off for Columbus Day.  We decided to go back to Oirase Gorge (our second trip) and see if the leaves had changed color.   The mouth of the gorge is about an hour away from Misawa.

 (We were still about a week early for the fall colors, but it is still very very pretty...)

We had no idea there were so many waterfalls along the way!

This time, we drove all the way to Lake Towada.  (Approx. another hour of driving.)  We had a fabulous and fun picnic by the beautiful lake and I marvelled at how great life can be sometimes.

After our picnic but before heading back down through the Gorge, we drove through a typical lake side town.  

It sorta reminded me of Jackson Hole.  It had all the usual stuff;  

Quaint shops filled with souvenirs, 

sidewalk vendors selling treats,

(Yeah...that is FISH ON A STICK!)

and even one of those super fun painted boards with the face cut out so you can take your picture with it!!!

(No.  This is not supposed to be Adam (with child-bearing hips) and Eve.  It's two ladies bonding by the lake.  There's a sculpture of these lovely ladies somewhere nearby, but unfortunately, we couldn't find 'em.  Had a hard time reading the signs for some reason.)

What a great day!  We love Japan!!!