Japan here we come! We planned a return trip to Japan a year after moving back to the States. We miss Japan, the people, our friends, the culture, the food, you name it! Returning will most definitely be fun and a little strange as we eat at the same places we did when we lived there, do the same things, and see the same people. More importantly this will hopefully help Abby and Connor retain their Japanese language skills as we reconnect with our Japanese friends.
Our fist stop was to drive up to north base and see our old house. It was definitely strange to see someone else's name on the name plate out front, stranger bikes in the covered patio, and a welcome mat greeting those to enter a house that used to be ours. It was a small little house that eventually became home to us for three years. It's where we raised two small kids and welcomed our third child. A lot of memories were made within those walls, some good and others not so good. Regardless, it was a bitter sweet moment seeing our home again, and a little sad knowing someone else was living there now.
Of course our first meal back had to be Thunder Ramen. This is by far our favorite restaurant in Misawa. It tasted just as I remembered, and we made sure to make plenty visits to our little ramen shop while we were back. I think we ate there 4 times within the week we were there.
One of our most favorite locations is the Hachinohe Fish market. We took the kids to the giant indoor playground and walked around to see the fresh caught fish of the day. The fish shaped pastries were delicious as ever, and the warm smiles and greeting we received from the local people made us feel like we were home. Oh Japan, you have my heart. All our fondest memories seemed to just resurface everywhere we went.
We met up with our aboslute favorite friends, Iyori chan and Ayake San Sasamori. Abby went to Daiichi Yochien with Iyori chan, and her mother, Ayaka, and I became very good friends as well. We are so grateful for their friendship and continual love and effort they make to stay connected with us. Abby and Iyori seemed to pick up right where they left off, and the two buddies ran around together speaking Japanese, playing tag, and sliding down the slides in the weasels' den. It was so rewarding to see that Abby has retained her Japanese and could continue to carry on conversations and communicate with her friends.
The jet lag this tine around has been a beast! We normally adjust in about two days, but for some reason we really struggled this time around. The kids would wake up at 3:00 in the morning and could barely keep their eyes open past 5:00 at night. We had to improvise and find opportunities to nap in the car as much as possible to keep to our travel itinerary and agenda.
I have never seen the snow monsters up Mount Hakkoda, and really wanted to go this time. It was the perfect opportunity because it was a really snowy and cold winter which would probably result in some amazing "snow monsters." Unfortunately after driving over and hour to get there we were disappointed that because it was such a heavy winter, the gondola rope way was closed due to being unsafe from the weather. Just our luck. It was actually too snowy that we couldn't go to the top of the mountain to see the snow monsters that look amazing in the snow...bah humbug. We tried to turn our lemons into lemonade by letting the kids play around in the snow igloos, make now angels, and then warm up with some hot ramen and curry in the ski lodge. Next time we are coming for you snow monsters, and you better be ready.
We got to stop by the kids old school and visit all their friends. I loved seeing all the other Japanese moms that I have grown so close to over the past years, and seeing Abby and Connor meet their old friends and senseis was pure joy. This is what life is all about. Experiences. Memories. Connections. I would trade all my "things" if it meant that I could give my kids these wonderful experiences to reconnect with friends around the world and create lasting impressions that will shape and mold them into well rounded, cultured people.
Of course a trip to Japan would not be complete without a visit from Yoko San. She was our sweet little nanny that would watch our kids every Thursday so I could go run errands and teach ballet. She was a life saving blessing in my life, and became a very close friend of mine and a grandma to the kids. I truly believe that some people come into your life for a reason and for a purpose, and that was Yoko san for me. She was an answer to prayers, a support pillar, and a listening ear when times got tough. She taught me all about the different holidays and cultural beliefs in Japan as well as customs. In other words, she was my "sensei" and taught me many things during our three years in Japan.
More friends, and a stop at Shimoda mall for some fun arcade games, pepper lunch, and shopping. It's kind of fun taking a vacation back to a place that you lived at cause you know exactly where to go and what to do to make the most of your time there. We certainly did that on this trip, despite it being in the middle of the winter.
We ate at Kyle's favorite restaurant, Aburi-an, and then met up with friends again from Daiichi at the Air and space museum. The kids played around for hours and I connected with friends once again. We ate lunch and of course the time came where we had to say goodbye once again. We will be back for another visit, so the goodbyes were not as hard this time knowing we would return.
To end our Japan return trip we took the trains down to Tokyo and stayed at the New Sanno. This is perhaps our all time favorite hotel that is in the center of Roppongi Hills in Tokyo and extremely affordable to military members and their family only. We toured the city a bit and ended at Tokyo Disneyland. Brayden was finally tall enough to ride some of the smaller roller coasters and he had a blast. I love being a parent and taking my kids to Disneyland. Their faces light up, and the magic and pure joy is just so contagious. It was a long day walking around being pregnant, but the memories and those sleepy grins on my kid's faces made it all worth it.
The very next day we caught a space A flight out of Yokota Air Base back to Seattle. Goodbye again, Japan. We will see you next year. We miss you and can't wait till we are back in the country that often feels more like home than where we are actually from. Japan has stollen our hearts and I don't see us getting over this relationship for a long time.
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