Another Chance Encounter – Gone Good

The Lamp Guesthouse & Restaurant, two-minutes down the road from my lakeside cabin, has become my social hub during the solitary stay at Lake Nojiri.  On my second day at Lake Nojiri I stopped by the restaurant to arrange for lunch and found it closed. Disappointed potential customers included a group of women, the common denominator being they are all pregnant!

Forgotten Luggage – Forgetfulness or Early Dementia?

In high school I could confidently recall most of what our teachers mentioned in class. Today I forget people’s names, names of birds I enjoy watching, important and useful words & phrases, both Japanese & English. There is much talk about “neuroplasticity“, the ability to create new synapses, leading to lifetime learning extending through the golden years. I am not sure my brain is keeping up with this new research.

Two days ago I took the overnight bus from Kochi on the island of Shikoku, to Nagoya, half way between Osaka and Tokyo. In Nagoya I transferred to a second bus, arriving in Nagano City shortly before 1pm. Being careful to gather all my belongings,

One Autumn Day at Lake Nojiri – Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Lake Nojiri is a highland lake in northwestern Nagano Prefecture, a 30-minute train ride from Nagano City, the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. First introduced to the lake when a student missionary in the summer of 1967, it cast a spell over me that has never weakened. Our children spent seven summers here from 1979-1985, and the mention of Lake Nojiri to one of them elicits memories of swimming, hiking, sailing, bicycling, fireworks, the outhouse, hot-spring baths, community evening bonfires with roasted corn, potatoes, marsh mellows, hot dogs, etc, and a longing to visit the lake once more.

90 minutes in a Mountain Hut: Mt. Daisen

Clouds obscured the peak and the receding valley below, making it easier to concentrate on hiking the steep Mt. Daisen trail, consisting mostly of uneven rock and earthen steps.

Halloween in Japan

Sitting in the Kochi City AEON Mall, writing a blog about recent adventures, I was hit head on by the commercialization of October 31 here in Japan.  Store clerks dressed as witches, pumpkins gracing store fronts, and young people dressed as werewolves was something I had never witnessed previously in Japan.

                          

Before losing wifi connection in 20 minutes, I will include a few pictures of young women, and a smattering of young men, parading through the mall in hand-made and store-bought costumes.

Eggplant in Autumn. A Not-So-Useful Japanese Expression

Relations between American mothers-in-law and their son’s wives are frequently the topic of jokes and unfriendly stories. This is probably even more true in Japanese society, where a bride’s name not only changes to that of her husband, but her name is removed from the family record of birth. The bride literally changes families, and in so doing, becomes subservient to her new mother.

Mother-in-Law: An Introduction

Nishimura Miyuki was born in Yokohama in June, 1922, but the birthday was not registered until the following February. Today she states her age as 92, following the feminine desire to appear young, but at her age, bragging rights would certainly be allowed for higher numbers. In any case her body is 93 years old, even though the official record says 92.

My Twin Brother!

We have all heard stories of sibling conflicts, where one taunts the other with the words, “You aren’t even my real brother! You’re adopted!”.

Rae Lakes Loop Backpacking! Getting There-Okinawa to California

#1 For the first time in my life, I was packed and ready to go a full 36 hours before departure for California. Meticulous planning, weeks in advance of the 42-mile Kings Canyon National Park, Rae Lakes Loop backpacking trip with family and friends, was motivated by wanting to keep my pack as light as possible. Additionally, once on the trail, there was no going back for forgotten items. 45 pounds of carefully chosen

Encounter with Pilgrims at Okinawa Peace Park–#3

Wandering the Memorial Wall area of the Okinawa Peace Park, I noticed a quiet, elderly couple, the wife sitting on a low-lying lawn chair, the husband on a small ice chest. After taking their picture from behind, I deemed it more appropriate to approach them from the front, so walked around one row of walls to do just that.

As our eyes met, in polite Japanese fashion they both returned my slight head bow.