Familia

love this family!
Originally uploaded by ninapod

Since moving here in 2005--two and half years ago, people--last weekend was the first time I've been more than a few miles outside of Tokyo?? Shame.

There are people as wonderful as these--cousins Midori & So, cousin-in-law Shiori and mini-cousin Yurine--to visit, in a city as pleasant as Hiroshima. Shame.

There are forest lodges to spend weekends at, built by retired boat designers who raise St. Bernese pups and served grilled smoked chickens and conduct weddings in their log cabins. Shame!

So where to next? After Okayama next weekend (auntie extraordinaire Mari and cousin Takara, precious as his name suggests), there is skiing in Hokkaido, sand dunes and paragliding in Tottori, awamori and goya in Okinawa, onsen in Kyushu, udon in Shikoku, Koya-san in Wakayama. Yokoso Japan, your campaign is working.