Tuesday, June 20, 2006. We left this morning to meet with the Mayor of Kesennuma City and the Superintendent of the Kesennuma City Board of Education. We were given gifts by the city in the form of a local, traditional kite.

It was a very formal meeting and ceremony. The local television and newspapers were there covering the meeting. (We ended up in the newspaper and on the local news that night and the next day.)

After, we went to the top of a nearby mountain and looked down at the City of Kesennuma. We then went to the Shark Museum (only museum in the country dedicated to sharks) and the ice museum. The ice museum consisted of sea creatures frozen in ice. Everyone else wore the heavy coats the museum provided because it was -20 degrees celsius in it. I didn't wear a coat and was very comfortable for the few minutes I was in there. Buffaloians are hardy souls!