Back from Japan

I am back !


The trip back to Japan was the best one ever.  

Welcome dinner

My sister's family, playful family !

I was by myself for 16days in my home country, so I was able to be "me" , not a mother nor a wife.  

I met my old friends and relatives whom I haven't met for over 15~20years.

I haven't met him for 15years! 

Gymnastic team mates from the college. It has been 18years!

I walked around the home town where I grew up, and visited temples and shrines where

I used to play in my childhood.

Yasaka Shrine.  The colour of the gate is now red! It used to be a stone colour.

Kiyomizu- temple 2nd building, Nagasaki. 

It is funny that I did not notice the beauty of this town when I lived there.  Now it has been 12 years since I left this town, and I see the beauty.

The stone tiles.

The rock walls.

 The street car which I used to ride anytime anywhere was also beautiful to me.

As I walked around, I noticed that the quan-yin statues are everywhere !

Even in front of the store.

Cars and motorbikes are casually parked in front of the Quan Yin statue. 

 It has been 12 years since I spent New Year's time in Japan.  New Years in Japan is like a Christmas in Canada.  Family gathers, Friends come back to old home town.


Visit Shinto Shrine for a Hatsu Mode. Every year, we visit the Shrine to show
 the gratitude for the past year, and set a goal for the new years.

Suwa-Shrine. Hatsu mode " the first visit of the year to the Shrine"

January 1st, 2nd and 3rd. We start the morning with Otoso. Share the sweet rice wine (non-alcohol) to celebrate the New Year.  Usually oldest person of the house hold pour the Otoso to all the family members.

New Year's custom. Otoso.

And, the first calligraphy of the year, Kakizome. Usually draw the goal of the year, or inspirational words.

"Move towards the Dream"

I was blessed to be able to see Mt.Fuji.

Old style window lock.  I think it is so beautiful.

It was absolutely a soul cleansing, a soul charging time.  I did not realize that I needed this
trip so bad.




This is the first time that I really felt that I could live in Nagasaki again. If things ever change in my life, or if there will be an opportunity for my family to live in Japan, I want to go back to Nagasaki.