I've gotten short nature walks from both Shibahara and Kawakami, and I love them.  The area around Takayama is stunning.  After I buy a bicycle they're gonna have a hard time keeping me in my apartment.  My camera will beckon and I'll have to go take pictures!

So far I've seen some lovely plants like Japanese maples, sasa, and kayate (I'm positive that last one is spelled incorrectly).  We got to see a Japanese four-lined ratsnake in the tea garden in Tokyo.  I saw a Japanese salamander, tons of frogs in the rice fields, and several lizards as well as a whole assortment of insects.  I can't wait to see more!

Chi took me to the Kawakami River, which he fishes all the time.  I asked him if they named it after him because he spent so much time knee-deep in it, but I don't think he got the joke.  He replied very seriously that the river was NOT named after him.  He's very eager to take me Japanese trout fishing, and I'm very eager to go.  I love to flyfish, and I'm anxious to learn to 'Japanese style fly fish' as Chi says.  Apparently there is some excellent trout fishing in this area, which I don't doubt.  The waterfall pictures on this page are from the Kawakami River, henceforth - Chi's River!