![\"20131223-115205.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/plaidcow.ca\/japan13\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/20131223-115205.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOur friends and there 2 young kids met us at Kashima Station where we jumped into their van for the 2 1\/2 hour drive to Hirado in Nagasaki prefecture. We checked into Hotel Rampu, a Japanese style resort with hot springs baths. It was really showing its age but must have been nice 20 years ago…the last time that any sort of maintenance was apparently done.<\/p>\n I went for a walk on the beach before dinner…<\/p>\n At dinner we were entertained by Taiko Drums and Chinese Acrobats.<\/p>\n Watching the sunrise in the morning from our room…<\/p>\n On the way back to Kashima we stopped for lunch in the main part of Hirado city where a nabe-zanmai (hot pot, like stew) festival was going on.<\/p>\n And then again at a local park in Kashima to give the kids a break.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n