Home Again

And … I’m back. The return trip to Japan was much easier than the one going and held one huge surprise. Riding on the train from Narita Airport to Ueno Station, where I was to catch the Shinkansen back to Akita, I was shocked by how familiar Japan felt. It really did feel like I was returning home, rather than returning to a foreign country where I’d been hanging out for awhile. Didn’t expect that.

And finally, a few more photos from our trip with Meredith and Abe.

The cherry blossoms were just beginning to blossom while we were there.

One night, after eating sushi, Meredith and Abe hugged each other, and Jonas surprisingly walked over and joined in on the hug, grabbing both of their legs. We recreated the moment here.

Actually, Jonas got Abe and his Dad confused a few times. Seeing as he’s around the Japanese all the time, and Abe and I are the same height, with black hair and beards, I suppose this wasn’t surprising. There’s a joke that the Japanese think all Westerners look alike (we have a friend who lived here who looks nothing like Tom Cruise who was told by everyone that he looked exactly like Tom Cruise). Anyway, once when I left the room, Jonas continued playing with Abe. And when I returned, he looked at me, looked at Abe, and looked back at me. I think it blew his mind to suddenly see two of us standing there.

Before I left, Jonas had developed this exhausting habit of only wanting me to hold him, which is why in all the pictures of Jonas where he isn't standing, I'm holding him. I thought this might pass during my week back in America. It didn’t.

The alleged World’s Largest Wooden Structure.

The alleged World’s Largest Gilded Buddha.

In the World’s Largest Wooden Structure, there was a tiny opening in a wooden beam, I think supposedly the size of the Buddha’s nostril. Apparently, if you can squeeze through the opening, you get a lifetime’s worth of good luck, or something to that effect. Many people looked, but no one tried. That is until Meredith took the plunge and wriggled through. This set off a chain reaction of dozens of Canadian tourists giving it a try. So I couldn’t get a good shot of the opening, but here are Mer’s feet, and the layers she had to drop to fit.

Just outside of the alleged World’s Largest Wooden Structure was a flock of the World’s Mangiest Deer Who Live Off Handouts and Harass Unsuspecting Tourists.

Not sure what to say about this. I bet each of them got to work that day and said, "Oh no. So you're wearing the red rubber rain boats too? Doh!"

Another shot of the sumo. I can never get enough of it.

Other assorted shots ...