Sasayama

I was putting off blogging, cos this one might be a long one.  Yuko invited me to her parents house in Sasayama city, which is in Hyogo prefecture, to go grape picking.  To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect and since we were grape "gathering" as Yuko says early, we got the train Saturday night.   I was surprised how big and new the house was.  We had coffee and waffles n I met Sasuke the dog.  Then I was treat to a nice flavoured bath - latest gadgets bathroom!  I went to bed, I was woken for breakfast.  What a treat, Yuko had stayed up n surprised me with homemade bread that she made the night before and also there was egg, sausage and a whole array of vegetables (fresh from the garden), plus fruit and coffee.  Soon after 2 of Yuko's aunts arrived to join us grapepicking.  
So off we went.  Grapes in Japan are slightly different and the skins are bitter, so the Japanese don't eat them, get working on your technique!  So we walked up the hill to the vines, we set up our ground sheets and went around sizing up the prewrapped bundles to find a big one.  Get the scissors, pose, snap, Bob's-your-uncle!  Done, well just gotta eat now!  
When we got back Yuko took me for a drive n we went to a nice giftshop n had a yakiniku don to share.  I had to go back to Osaka early, but was showered with food and drinks from everyone, they even refused to let me pay for my train ticket.
This kind of hospitality can't be bought and I was sad on my way home, because I won't see this forever.  I love Japan.