This past weekend, I went to Hagi with Heidi and Chieko-san. Heidi went to speak on Sunday at a sister church of our church in Shimonoseki. I basically went to tag along, meet people that I had heard stories about, and see a little bit of Hagi. It was a wonderful time of relaxation and fellowship! I was blessed by meeting more brothers and sisters in Christ, hearing stories of God's faithfulness, and seeing God's creation. I think that Hagi is one of the most beautiful cities in Japan that I have seen.

Hagi is famous for its beauty and pottery. Hagi yaki (pottery) can be found just about anywhere in the city. We were able to see a workshop and kiln during our brief, 24 hour, stay. We also went to a glass shop. A man was afraid that the art of Japanese glass blowing would cease to exist, so he has started his own shop that is well known today. Apparently, there are three layers of glass and the middle layer has a shattered look to it. Everything in the shop was beautiful and expensive. We were also able to look through a window into the show where a man was making vases for a wedding next week. The process is quite amazing and looks blazing hot!

A short hike up to Kasa-yama (the smallest volcano in Japan) was also included in our activities. This hike was not originally planned. After church we drove and then walked out to a point to get a view of Hagi and islands just off the coast. Our Sunday afternoon stroll turned into a little hike when we saw the sign for the mountain. So, off we went in our Sunday clothes and sandals through the jungles of Japan. The path was filled with vines, tree canopies, and moss covered rocks, and old stone walls. Chieko-san, our fearless leader, took the lead and swung a branch out in front of her the entire trip so we wouldn't walk directly into spider webs. Along the way we saw several interesting looking creatures including a green stick bug that Nick found. There was also an older couple who had a farm and little hut towards the top.

Once we made it to the top, there was a breath taking view. To the right, there were five islands with the endless sea as its backdrop. And to the left lay the bay, city and with the mountains in the background. The hike was definitely worth the view. (Of course, we could have driven up, but that would have taken the adventure out of it.) On the hike down I started noticing all of my bug bites. The bites are now swollen and puffy with some sort of fluid inside. I guess I'm allergic to Japanese bugs! All in all it was a fantastic weekend!