Our Autumn 2015

In the city of Ebitsu. 

My old friend Haru was there along with many others for an event.

At TONDEN Farm. There was, I believe it was, a 40 year anniversary the following day.

But the day Taka dropped me off to meet Haru, I got to take part in a sweat lodge.

It'd been the first time in quite a while. 

Before the sweat, I got to meet the owner of the Farms, and along with everyone, we got to take part in a tea ceremony. It's been quite a while for one of those for me as well! A Native American man was visiting for the special event too, he once visited us in Nishio back in the '90's?!


Back in Nishio, it was all about catching up with friend after friend after friend. And almost never without fantastic food to indulge in. And the FRIENDS to INDULGE in was the BEST!.


Taka and I got to meet a great guy whose airBNB was where we stayed when first in Sapporo.
Not only did he rent out his space, but he also is a professional chef. I had to hire him for one meal before we left.

Some of my longest lasting friends in Japan:



Another NATSUKASHIIII meal was TAKOYAKI at Yoshizaki's home. Yoshizaki's.... the center for so many of us to gather. The family that takes care of the COMMUNITY!!!! Yoshizaki's WE THANK YOU ALWAYS!!!
Where once again friends kept coming to catch up all together. AND Takoyaki!!!!. THANKYOU!!!!!!!!



At Yoshizaki's restaurant Cafe Ocean where Ischin's the pizza chef... Zen's meeting with the town's Mayor at the beginning of our trip, the paper hung there.

From our hometown of Nishio we... went NORTH. 
To Sapporo to see the BOY and his more settling in to his  new home.

One cool place we found, kind of important for a basketball player:
 a  laundromat where there was a special machine that JUST cleaned shoes! Exactly what a basketball player would need!

     


Taka and I got to see two preseason debut games. My photos below. Yes, another highlight of the month long trip. Regular season starts October 2015. We left Japan September 25th.