iain42, I have gone to this event for the past 6 years and have usually ended up buying one or two bamboo each year. The Texas Bamboo Society usually has a bamboo sale and auction and there are usually three of more 'commercial' bamboo suppliers as well. There are also usually bamboo arts and craft, and related items for sale. Lastly there are several bamboo related presentation. If you are interested in growing or using bamboo it is well worth attending. The following is an except from some tentative information sent out earlier by Carole Meckes who is coordinating this 16th Annual Texas Bamboo Festival and is a past President of the Texas Bamboo Society QUOTE August 23-24 - 16th Annual Texas Bamboo Festival - Zilker Botanical Garden Help is needed to plan this event - this is what is going on so far: Robin McBride Scott Our guest speaker, Robin McBride Scott, is an award winning artist who works in Traditional Woodland materials and native American Bamboo. She is the first place recipient of the American Bamboo Society Arts and Craft Award for 2007 for her work with basketry and canebrake (Arundinaria gigantea) bamboo. Robin is a consultant, presenter, and teacher of performing and visual Native arts. She is one of 6 artists in 2008 to receive a Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Visiting Artist Fellowship. She is also a recipient of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers 'Artist of the Year' for 2005-2006. On Saturday, August 23 - Robin will do a presentation about her work with basketry and native American bamboo. On Sunday, Robin will conduct a workshop on Weaving a Cane Mat, using native American Bamboo that she has personally harvested, prepared and dyed. The workshop will be limited to 10 - 15 participants. Registration Info is posted at http://www.bamboocentral.net/weavingworkshop.html Additional Presentations: (times are not decided yet) 'Landscaping with Running Bamboo' - using running bamboo - in the landscape and elsewhere - and not to be afraid of it - Presentation by Steve Muzos A Video Presentation about the works of Japanese Artist Tanaka Kyokusho - produced by David Stewart- Tanaka Kyokusho, is a bamboo artist and a bamboo basket maker. The video is about his work and shows how he makes the fine slivers of bamboo that he uses in his baskets. If you would like to do a presentation - or there is a topic you would like discussed at the festival - please email me. There is ample time to further develop and round out the program. The festival will include a live plant auction on Saturday afternoon, a dinner by reservation on Saturday evening and two full days of bamboo activities with bamboo plants and crafts for sale and show. Vendors: To date - the following bamboo vendors have sent in their vendor registrations and are listed at http://www.bamboocentral.net/16thfestival.html * Spirit Mama - Spun Bamboo Clothing (for adults and children) * Waterstones - vases created from stone with bamboo accents email * RM-Collectibles.com - Hand-Made Bamboo Crafts from Mt. Fuji, Japan * Bamboo Branch - Bamboo Beads & Jewelry, Poles, & Pieces Mike near Brenham TX Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo festival

Hi I have visited #7 #18 #46 #48 # 49 . #7 is my hometown. You shold visit to Saitama shokubutsu mihohen, Kawaguchi city, Saitama. where you want go is depend your time abelible . traveling budget. some place you have mentioned are new, some are few hundred years old. #7 Hachioji Asakawa station is famus of collection of cherry trees. it's name has been chaneged however .The place is about 10 minuts taxi ride from Takao station or you can take bus. near by Mt Takao you can see towering Cryptmeria japanica 150 feet tall 3 ~ 5 feet diameter. also Mausoleum of Taisho empror is near by. each place are 3~5 miles part. #46 If you are intersting Bamboos # 46 is good place to visit. also kyoto has 3 bamboo gardens. Dr kashiwagi is reserching over there. It may take 3~ 4 hours from Tokyo some place is purly for academic, some place are for entertainment. If you are going to visit your self you have much more choice , If you are takeing your wife and kids, then when you visit # 7 you have to waer sneker and have towel and bottled water. And carefull with poisin snake. No English sign warning you . no visitors bit by snake yet. ^-^ . #23 Makino memorial Botanical garened is nice place to vist. I have not visited yet. Dr Makino is father of Japanese society of Botany. many plants are named after him. .........mike

I'm not from RI but have relatives living in Tiverton. What kind of dining experience are you looking for? Roberto's in nice...overpriced for the quality, but nice, with a good atmosphere. It's a nice place to linger over dinner, as long as you're not sitting at the table nearest the door in cold weather. You will need a reservation there, most likely. There's a little Italian/pizza place in..I believe...Warren. I'm going to have to ask my mum what its name is (I've only been there once), but it's good if you're looking for the opposite of Roberto's--I recall plastic tablecloths & chairs and some noise; good salads; pasta okay; didn't try the pizza, I'm afraid. If you can make it into Providence and are up for Roberto's-type prices, I would highly recommend Rue de l'Espoir. Really good food! Roberto's has a slightly nicer atmosphere, but I'd say try for Rue de l'Espoir if you really like to eat and it's not too far for you to drive. Make a reservation. I've only been to Blithewold in the spring, but that was wonderful. They have a magnificent daffodil display. Enjoy your trip! Amanda Here is a link that might be useful: Rue d l'Espoir

Of course the kids love the city life. If either is a shopper, they might like to go to the upscale Ginza shopping district. They have a fun Hello Kitty store there, but your kids might be too old for that. Here is a link to one site for Todaiji with some hours and walking information. I'm not at all sure how far it would be to walk or even where you would be coming from. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4100.html We were not extremely early or late for the temples and shrines, and they were always open. You don't walk around outside, you go in. All the places we visited were busy, lots of people. The only really crowded one was Kinkakuji in Kyoto, so if you can make that one early, I would think it would be a good thing. By the way, did I mention that people don't tip in Japan? To privately message me, click on my name socks, and you will go to my page. There should be a button to send a message.