From the Land of the Rising Sun

Original airdate: April 18, 2007

Konnichi-wa! Welcome to The Adventures of Yumiko and Eden in Japan, a sweeping saga of triumph and tragedy set in an exotic land both ancient and modern. 

And now, Episode 1...

Our intrepid heroines are currently ensconced in an eco-friendly, New Age-y youth hostel in Matsuyama. Though they have decided to forgo having photos taken of their auras and have opted out of the seminar on unlocking one's potential, they are deeply appreciative of many of the hostel's other amenities, which include laundry facilities and the fanciest toilets Eden has ever seen (the latter have heated seats and are so high-tech that they have a control panel!).

Despite being dogged by poor weather, our heroines have done much in the days leading up to this point. They have wandered the historic streetscape of Kurashiki, visited the Peace Park in Hiroshima, and been molested by the tame deer on the gorgeous sacred island of Miyajima. They have gone birdwatching in one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens (though their fellow birders were more interested in practicing their English on Eden and Miko than on seeing any birds), slurped udon noodles, stayed in a traditional Japanese ryokan, and climbed the 1,368 steps to the inner shrine of Kompira-san (Eden's more than 2 years of step aerobics paid off in a big way). 

Our heroines, far from home and missing Eden's cats, would appreciate fan mail. 

Tune in next time for Episode 2 of The Adventures of Yumiko and Eden in Japan, when Eden faces the Japanese toilet and the public bath.

© Eden Feuer