Hello everyone!


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(With completely unrelated photos of Bizen pottery)

I never imagined leaving a puppet show being so much in awe.

The woman running the show came off as a bit over-the-top friendly. The puppet show was fun for kids because of the story, but also fun for adults in seeing what kind of mechanics went into it. One example was the music they did using an ( Read more... )

It's Setsubun.

The time of year when the dark winter days are over and the world begins to grow light again.

Also translated as "spring."

We purge (mame) our homes from evil and bad vibes (oni) and welcome in the good fortune (fuku)

My sister is visiting and we're sitting on mats on the floor, surrounded by pairs of mother and child. All the ( Read more... )

Hello all! I'm back from the USA.

Most of the time I was there, I was just surrounded warmly by family and soaking in things I hadn't experienced in a while, like the Christmas Spirit, and the comfort of being anonymous again instead of the only woman in a two mile radius with green eyes. But as the trip drew to a close, I began wondering if I had ( Read more... )

Asagi Madara is a species of migratory butterfly. Asagi is the name of the pale blue that makes it wings look like panes of glass in a window, looking up into the sky. The frame of each pane starts at the top as a deep brown, almost black, but fades into a ruddy reddish color at the bottom of the wings. I imagine antique wood of an old dish cabinet ( Read more... )

It's after dark and I'm coming home on the train.

The community house just next to the tracks still has a light on, despite it being seven. The only time I've ever seen it open this late is for the karate club on Thursdays. An older woman is sweeping the steps outside. Curious, I greet her.

"We're having an exhibition of local art. We haven't ( Read more... )

It's 5 in the morning and decide to pop out for a second just to see if the sunrise is pretty or not. It's summer, but the humidity in the air makes the breeze feel clammy and cold despite. Even this early in the morning it is already warm, but the sensations on my skin are giving me mixed messages. I walk across the train tracks to the flat ( Read more... )

I'm relaxing at the in-laws. A cool breeze comes in through the open sliding door that looks out on my husband's late father's garden. Yellow flowers bloom everywhere outside, swaying in the wind. I'm drinking tea with my mommy in-law, without a care in the world. People told me having a baby would be hard work, but all I do is relax here and chat ( Read more... )

Hello all,

I have been attempting to contact everyone after getting out of the hospital, but I know there are a few people here who I haven't gotten a chance to catch up with yet. Just wanted to let everyone know - I'm a mommy!

I started this mailing list with the intention of disseminating information about Japan, not to just selfishly go on about ( Read more... )

The transition to being a mother.

The doctor told me my son was going to be around 4000 kilos and maybe be a week late or so.  She worried about a late baby being too big to pass through my pelvis, and with all the upcoming holidays it would be better to make a solid plan of action to avoid me coming in suddenly needing a surprise C-section when ( Read more... )