A crazy horse racing video game/robotic horse race. You can bet just like you can at the track, and you can even buy a card, name your own horse, and develop him/her!
My friend, Hiroshi Satake, wanted us to experience "ikezukuri," which is sushi that is still alive. They cut up the fish and bring it to you with its head and tail, still gasping for life. Delicious!
On Day 2 of our three-day trip to Miyagi-ken, we went to the kokeshi museum in Togatta, Miyagi-ken. I highly recommend the museum for its interesting displays of the many regional kokeshi styles found in Tohoku. The most fun thing about the museum is that you can make your very own kokeshi, under the watchful (and strict) tutelage of one of Togatta's master kokeshi painters! How fun is that?
One October Saturday, I rolled out of bed at 1 pm and heard the faint sounds of chanting and drumming. I followed them here: about a mile from my house, in front of the Nakano Sun Plaza building.
For most of the day, this looks to be nothing more than a normal clock on the outside of a building. But at 2:00 pm, it transforms into this awesome robotic display of Asakusa-ness!
While staying with my student and friend Saichi-san, we journey to Yamagata prefecture and visit the famous Yamadera temple. The temple is famous for a haiku composed about it by Matsuo Basho, and also for its 1000 step ascent and fantastic view of the mountains and valley below.
![Ten Days that Shook Graham\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/dCGRFAZiqvg/2.jpg "Ten Days that Shook Graham\")
