So I’m walking along and I pass by this Japanese graveyard. Most Japanese prefer cremation, so I’ve been surprised at the number of graveyards dotting the area. I went in for a look. Rectangular tombstones are pretty standard, even with angels and saints switched out for Buddhas. All these ginkgo leaves had piled up around…
Room with a View
Mari’s Stamp of Approval
Hooray!! We have internet in our new house finally!!Chris is really good at paperwork and bureaucracy, but I took over the hoop-jumping for the Japanese parking permit. I had to get stuff approved from the on-base housing office, then take it and car paperwork to the police station where they told me the landlord needed…
Yokohama
Chris is pretty high up there! Chris and I had a fun date the night before Thanksgiving. We took the train over to Yokohama, a 25-minute ride from the station near base, and took the second-fastest elevator in the world to the observatory at the top of Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Japan. You…
Moving Post
Pounce spies on the neighbors. At least our bed is set up. This is our downstairs tatami room. Out through the soji screens is my bike and the parking slot. Here’s the parking slot full of our belongings on this cold, rainy day. Moving Day! We have a house! But we’re without internet. What people…
Moving Right Along!
Come on over to our house! Well not yet. We move in Friday. Chris practiced backing into the parking slot and I was delighted to find our house even lovelier than I remembered. It was cloudy when we looked at it, and it was the first place we’d seen. Now I saw anew the fun…
Tag Post!
My sister-in-law Katrina tagged me more than a month ago. Chris and I were moving and I kind of forgot, but now I remember so here we go. THE RULES::* Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.* Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.* Tag 7 people at the end of…
花鳥風月
花鳥風月 or “Kachou Fuugetsu,” translates literally to: Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon. The general idea is that by experiencing nature’s beauty we learn about ourselves. This area seemed enchanting every time I rode by it. Yes well, that’s because it’s a park. Koryo Park is about a 45-minute walk (the long way. Maybe a 20-minute walk…