Japan Oh Japan I have loved you soooo

Autumn in Aichi-ken, Japan, we can see rapeseeds abloom. 

We wouldn't get to stay long enough to see Autumn colors  

See, here is where we have been working to say "good bye" to. The school-house we called Megumi House. "Megumi" because the Nursery School across the street was called MEGUMI-HOIKUEN.

The upstairs SHOJI doors illuminated at night has been such a warm, homey sight for all these years.

Our precious school sign. Built and painted by Murakami-san... with Sheon's sun design... Taka got it down...

And finally on our last day in Japan, the sign got put up at the NEW New Age Connection (N.A.C.) at Anita and Jennifer's  "school- house" now. Yaari-also once employed at N.A.C., was there to help, and Anita, me and Taka.

 Taka poured concrete and our treasured sign now stands in a much busier, and more visible part of Nishio, in Sumisaki-cho.

 

Back to moving out of Megumi House...

Anita blew me away, she and Jennifer and friends boxed up MOST of the stuff. This was one of the last nights she spent... in the office, boxing up the last things before movers came.

We had been able to give away many things... and furniture...we did our best. This was one beautiful cabinet Jennifer could "save".

                                           

 Unfortunately these other three cabinets had to go to "recycle" 

along with six truck loads Taka and I took away.  

We were able to rent a truck for three days~ good ol' other long time student friend Meiko helped! She works at Japan Rental and helped us out so much!

   

A twenty minute drive away there's a recycle center built about eight years ago called White Wave. That big white building ahead~ it's also a sports center and has an indoor pool (where you can't go into if you have any tattoos). But it's also heated from the recycling "plant" next door (to the left)

We have to be Nishio residents. At the check in they accepted my 10 month long expired Japanese Driver's License... and as in the States at the Dump, they weighed our truck before and after.

There are different entrances to go into, where burnable trash goes, or nonburnable or recyclable.

The men were so efficient I had to take photos! It was so clean (see the man with the broom and dustpan?!) 

 A sign on the wall explaining how to separate the garbage.  The first time there an older man reprimanded Taka for not

having put the burnable trash at the end of the truck and the nonburnable together further back. Made lotsa sense, or course.

They do recognize pieces and machinery that they will hold on to for a recycle sale which happens seasonally perhaps. Also they keep good bicycle parts and put together bikes in great working order... Unfortunately, all our things got trashed.

This is how people tie together magazines and books for recycling. So orderly! It did take time to get use to spending the time doing that! 

Finally, when Kato-san came our last night~ this was how the classroom looked. That office back to the left where Anita was cleaning, also emptied.

Upstairs... the living room we lived our lives in since 1996.

And the cool narrow, steep stairway with authentic railing down~ we will never forget!

The minnows were the very last to be moved out! Hiroaki~ dear LONG time beloved friend too, he adopted the minnows. Katoh-san here, helped catch the three little fish, to transport to Hiroaki's home around the corner, along with the large old ceramic container, and nicely growing plants inside.

That night we then handed the keys over to Katoh-san. 

 Taka and I also had to say bye to the sweet dog a few doors down, AMERO. He's still a beauty, and still not treated well enough. We will miss the darling, but won't miss having to see him not get the right care. No Animal Cruelty laws in Japan. No SPCA... this was the worst part of living on this street, having to pass Amero out in the driveway. We did what we could, walked him sometimes, ran with him... I even used to bicycle with him~ he was so powerful and energetic. We pray for you baby.

On a foody note...

Twice we got to eat our VERY favorite RAMEN shop we have loved. 

GONKICHI 

(I've posted in past blog spots about the silent surfer brothers who've run this shop since the late '80's?!)

They've sold the better quality beer I'd spend a little more money for always~ Yebisu.

I got one for the road.

And KARAAGE~ we wish we could imitate. We've never found better deep fried chicken                                                

I don't need to order any different RAMEN than that one I've loved all these years. TANTANMEN. That too, we've never found better anywhere. Once I tried ordering a different ramen there and the surf-brother-cooks made the waitress come back and make sure she didn't misunderstand my order- cause I always ordered TANTANMEN.


One other day during our trip, Taka came back to Ischin's home where we were staying, with his "family tree"!! It spread through two rooms! I have to find out from what year it's started. And I thought Japanese didn't have family trees!

The second night in Nishio, hardly before we were over jet lag~ 

we got to have an early celebration of Halloween, while Megumi house still had furniture

 Here I am with my dear good ol' buddies Suzuyo and Tomomi Sugisaki. I was trying to hold onto my wig!

And with Naguchan back behind Anita on the left and Mario~Isamu in red! (Behind Jen in black) Isamu was my student along with his twin brother Hajime when they were in KINDERGARDEN!!!
Twenty-some years ago!!!

Taka... with my awful make up job~ he and I dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Vampires.

Standing room only~ finally! And there was no bobbing for apples~ but enough munchies and drink, and even live music~

Having food is almost always the best way to get together ~ making the special occasions of meeting good friends all the more fun. Here with Kahori, Kana and Kana's little boy, we could call him American Suzuki Jr. I suppose~ that's his Dad's nickname cause he's crazy about the U.S.

Hodaka! He got a bit antsy while we ate and ate at HATOYA, that local traditional foods popular buffet restaurant. (It a rare occasion I will overeat like that! But it's SO good and NOSTALGIC なつかしい)  I took Hodaka outside around the parking lot. He was a little cutie, not a talker, but a POINTER. I carried him facing out in front of us, and he'd point this way and that way and I'd go where he pointed! At least three times around that large parking lot.

Check out the car seat Hodaka has! Talk about NIFTY! How ingenius! One... get him hooked in while facing you...

two... after he's latched in he gets to start his turning... to three...

to swivel towards the front! Just how great is that?!!


Mr. and Mrs. Katoh. It has been hard to express how grateful we are to have been able to reside in your old house.  Mrs. Katoh was so kind, on this day we left Japan, she prepared MATCHA. It's been a long time since I've had the honor of drinking the tea Japanese are renowned for. Thank you!

 Mr. and Mrs. Katoh~ the epitome of good and caring landlords. We will always feel indebted to you.
And thank you for being our friends too, that can last for a long time to come

We had to drive by one final time on this last rainy day we were in Japan. It had rained the first day and after two weeks again on this last day~

Someone placed flowers at the front door. Gosh... how sweet... I just realized, it's almost like putting flowers at a grave?!  But Katoh-san had said he was reconsidering tearing down the old house to rebuild. Enough of us have said how special this house is. And so we hope~that the house will get to live on for others.