Carving My Honko for SUMI E

So for SUMI E class you need to have a honko, which is a traditional stamp signature. So I'm using "Natsu" or "summer" as my pen name. You carve your own honko, so I set about doing that this afternoon after getting off Skype with Andrew. ^.^

This is the carving tool on loan to me by my SUMI E sensei.

First you pencil it on and then carve. It takes a while and a lot of patience.

I made ramen for lunch/ breakfast! It's a bit different here than in the states.

You don't add powder, it comes on the ramen, and the ramen is in a disk shape instead of square.

I added cooked veggies from the freezer.

Elyse found a lightning bug in their unit.

Tonight a group of us decided to go to Kapa Sushi for dinner.

Maha from Morocco.

The coolest thing about Kapa Sushi is that the sushi is on a conveyor belt. You just take what you want and at the end, a waitress comes up, counts your plates, noting the color, and gives you a check you pay at the cashier. It's like a buffet almost.

Elyse and Peter.

Shanikia.

Chocolate Moose for desert!

So if you want something other than what is on the belt, or you just want it fresher, you can use the touch screen at your table to order whatever you want.

Lindsey from Florida.

Peter and Steph, both from England.

When you order food on the touch screen, it comes to you on the rail above the food one on an express "Shinkansen" which is very nice.

You take the food off the Shinkansen and press the little red button to send it back to the kitchen.

After eating, we decided to wander around Hirakata for the fun of it. So most of my pictures are just that, random pictures I took while wandering around...

Toyopet?

Steph, Peter, and Elyse.

"Pirates Dinner Restaurant Cafe"

Peter goofing off in Donkite. (sp?) They had a small halloween section. The only real costumes we've seen.

... "Delicious Girl?"...

We went to Baskin Robbins!

One of the few places we've seen Halloween decorations. They were really into it and even wearing pumpkin hats.

All the Halloween flavors. I wonder if they have them in the US?

Peter and Steph.

Then we hung out at an arcade.

These pod things are cool. They are like Helicopter flight simulators! Once inside, the screen surrounds you and you feel like you're flying. Very neat.

Anyways. That's pretty much what I did today.