Fish Market and First Shrine Visit

We went on a Newcomer's tour of Misawa and Hachinohe (a city just to the south) on our first Friday here. In Misawa we stopped at a shopping center and had lunch. We ate yakisoba with fried chicken. Not as good as the yakisoba at Cheese Roll House.

Not a very flattering picture, but it was more about the food than me!

A portion of the menu.

These orchids were for sale, the big one is 17,000 yen ($170),
medium was $60 and small $25.

In Hachinohe we stopped at the Kushihiki Hachiman Shrine. We had Japanese tour guides show us how to purify ourselves before entering through the torii gate to the shrine. They also showed us how they pray after making an offering. We got our fortunes too. If the fortune is bad you are supposed to tie it around things at the shrine (don't know what they're called) and that will turn it to good fortune.

Purifying hands by rinsing them.

Purifying mouth by rinsing (and spiting it back out).

Keenan's turn.

Main building

I'm being told how they pray, if I remember correctly,
you make your offering (put a coin in the box),
ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice, bow again
and then say your prayer silently.

Old original main hall.

Smaller shines.

A place to tie "bad fortunes."

Looking back toward the Torii gate (entrance).

Small covered area was where we "purified."

Fortunes.

Here's mine.

Keenan's.

Under the torii gate.

Pay phone.

After the shrine we went to the Fish Market. We got to sample a few things, and could have sampled a lot more. It was an interesting experience. So many different types of fish/shellfish/crabs/vegetables/seaweeds/pickles etc. I tried some pickled squash and kimchee mushrooms. We both tried something they called "spicy shellfish". It was a small round thing in red sauce, very chewy, I'm guessing snail, but really have no idea.
Here's a bunch of pictures from the market! So many things to see, and a lot of them were still alive!



This was some sort of fish that lives on the ocean floor.

This giant king crab cost 16,000 yen ($160)!

Squids.

This octopus was trying to get out of its box.

"Spicy shellfish" thing we tried.

Different types of seaweed and dried fish/sea creatures.

Vending machine (they are EVERYWHERE!)

Another giant king crab- $180!

Smaller crabs.

Peach flavored water (I think).

Kind of tastes like Squirt.

Here's where we were:

After the tour we got to pick up some loaner household items, pots and pans, dishes, silverware, microwave, etc. At least I can start doing a little cooking again, I think I'm starting to miss it a little bit! Maybe...

Up next...our first weekend=venturing out on our own! Shipwreck Beach, Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada!