LIFE IN JAPAN 2003-2005

Well I really had to start the Japan blog with a shot of Mount Fuji or Kinkakuji and since we didn't make it to Mount Fuji...

Unfortunately one of our hard drives died and took about 18 months worth of digital pictures we had taken. Jenn and I bought a film SLR and pretty well forgot about our digital point-and-shoot so we don't have any digital pictures from 2004. We have 1000s of shots on film but I have not scanned them yet.

So what was it like to live in Japan for 2 1/2 years. Well we struggled and grew and were bewildered and annoyed and felt intense kindness from the most unlikely people and places. We ate delectably strange food and were able to travel to places most North Americans scarcely have heard of.

But what we most cherish from Japan is the people...our beautiful friends.

Goodbye Annge and Megan...

I believe the reason for the above get-together was one of the many sayonara (a.k.a. goodbye) parties for the many fantastic people we met who had decided to move on. Although this appears to be a "bad turnout" party, let me reassure you that the eight of us were plenty crowded in our tiny apartment, not to mention our bed to get this shot. (the people you don't know from left to right are Annge, Autumn, Jen, Megan, Edwin and Sarah)

Below is the Yoshida triplets. From left to right, Kyoko, Ayaka and Mitsuki. Our most loved and terribly missed relationships from Japan also includes their mother Tsukiko. The Yoshida family literally brought us into their home and enriched our time in Japan in a way that is difficult to explain.

Now if you don't know who the characters are below they are Dave and Nina Prideaux. Our lives changed after meeting Dave and Nina in the most positive way and they will always be an inspiration to us.

Speaking of people there were lots of people we didn't know and a Sunday afternoon in Umeda made that pretty clear. As a trivial pursuit tidbit of information the hallway I took this photo in is the same hallway where Andy Garcia lost is jacket and passport to the Japanese Yakuza (Mafia) in the movie Black Rain with Micheal Douglas.

The most popular place to have your photo taken at night in Osaka is on the Dotomburi bridge near Shinsaibashi. So when the 'rents came for a visit they also had to have their picture taken on the bridge. While Mum and Dad Smith were in the land of the rising sun, we made our way to Hiroshima. We arrived late and could not get in to a cramped and socially acceptable hotel so we found our way to the 'LOVE HOTEL' district and got a couple rooms. Because family homes in Japan tend to house 2-4 generations of a family, privacy is at a premium so people use love hotels for 'alone time'. It's not in any way dodgy like by-the-hour hotels in North America and the rooms were ENORMOUS.

Back to the real reason for our visit. Here is a shot of the A-bomb Dome. The two following shots are models of before and after to show the massive and complete decimation of the city If you want to see castles, come to Japan.

Himeji Jo (Jo means castle)

Osaka Jo Osaka tower in Tenoji

Our lovely Sakaemachi. Look no further for all your Hostess Bar need and the local grocery store.

Smoke and mirrors and who knows what.

The KIX airport is built in the middle of the ocean 3 km out from the main land. We have seen documentaries on the engineering that went into building the island and building and it is truly amazing. Even if it is still sinking!!!!

If they can build an island in the ocean and plop an international airport on it, why not build an office building around a highway off ramp???? That's right. Buses, trucks and cars drive right through that building.

Since Jenn and I lived in Juso (which means 13 and also means Love Hotel district) we had to walk through the streets and pass the 'hostess bar' touts trying to lure men into spending money and women into 'taking pictures' WINK WINK.

But the hostess bar below was just for Japanese. Imagine if the word Japanese was changed to WHITES. That way of thinking is why it would be so hard to make Japan your home if you're a 'Gaijin' (outsider).

But even with it's flaws the sun sets on Japan and the beauty and culture remain intriguing and unbelievable and we will always have a special place in our hearts for Japan and its people.