Sunrise in the land of the rising sun
All of us up at 5:30 and soon drinking coffee and watching a national TV programme about the sun rising over Japan. After seven we piled into Hiroko's car with Haneko,the comedy-faced shitzu, and Miranda the spaniel, andset off for the nearby beach. Lots of people, some standing about a big impromptu-looking bonfire, others imbibing shots of sake against the bitter pre-dawn cold. Further along the beach were a group of drummers that I couldn`t see, but could certainly hear.
There were about 15 surfers in the sea with small boards and wetsuits - even though the sea was quite calm. It was freezing enough with a coat on, in fact Hiroko retired back to the car to watch the dawn through the windscreen, God alone knows what it must have been like with hands and head in the sea.
Toby Romy and I walked along a short pier out into the sea and waited for the sun. There was a low bank of cloud on the horizon and so a glimpse of the sun was slightly delayed, but when it came it was wonderful.
Here was the first dawn of the new year, in the land of the rising sun and I felt very cheerful and lucky. It seemed like a powerful symbol for the fresh start I need in my life.
Then there was a frozen scamper back to the car, and we went home to eat the rice cake that Hiroko had prepared, which most people in Japan would be eating as their first meal of the year.
Toby and Romy then sloped off back to bed and I tried to catch up on blogging for a bit. Gets quite hard when the onscreen instructions are all in Japanese, and I managed to lose a whole day`s entry at the moment of publishing which was a bit galling.
In the afternoon Hiroko and Romy went for a massage, while me and Toby sloped about in a shopping mall looking at stuff and then went for a walk outside having a good chat. In the Mall Mr Sizuki appeared with his "classmate" and her son and there was some coming and going about whether we should eat again with them. We managed not to. Said to Toby what a coincidence they should be at the Mall too. Later it transpired they had tracked us down, and then went to the onsen where Hiroko and Romy were. Slightly stalkerish really. He is tremendously excited about tomorrow, however, for he has arranged a trip for us to go to the North. It will be an adventure.
Another feast tonight cooked by Hiroko. A big Japanese stew, which was lovely, plus salad and grilled pork. And we drank some beer and bubbly, but Hiroko grew a bit sad with the booze and had to retire early. She has enormous respect here, that much is clear, and she has many accomplishments to be proud of, but her family makes her feel very sad sometimes.
Watching lots of Japanese TV shows which are quite fun, and often don`t require any Japanese to enjoy. Very much of it revolves around physical tasks and pranks. And there are food shows everywhere. Toby and I watched one which was the search for the perfect noodle, which simply involved a bloke wandering about eating noodles and watching the chefs prepare them. Strangely enough it was riveting. The done thing here is to slurp up the noodles noisily which takes a little adjusting to.
Then early to bed.
Below predawn light, and the first sighting of the sun.
All of us up at 5:30 and soon drinking coffee and watching a national TV programme about the sun rising over Japan. After seven we piled into Hiroko's car with Haneko,the comedy-faced shitzu, and Miranda the spaniel, andset off for the nearby beach. Lots of people, some standing about a big impromptu-looking bonfire, others imbibing shots of sake against the bitter pre-dawn cold. Further along the beach were a group of drummers that I couldn`t see, but could certainly hear.
There were about 15 surfers in the sea with small boards and wetsuits - even though the sea was quite calm. It was freezing enough with a coat on, in fact Hiroko retired back to the car to watch the dawn through the windscreen, God alone knows what it must have been like with hands and head in the sea.
Toby Romy and I walked along a short pier out into the sea and waited for the sun. There was a low bank of cloud on the horizon and so a glimpse of the sun was slightly delayed, but when it came it was wonderful.
Here was the first dawn of the new year, in the land of the rising sun and I felt very cheerful and lucky. It seemed like a powerful symbol for the fresh start I need in my life.
Then there was a frozen scamper back to the car, and we went home to eat the rice cake that Hiroko had prepared, which most people in Japan would be eating as their first meal of the year.
Toby and Romy then sloped off back to bed and I tried to catch up on blogging for a bit. Gets quite hard when the onscreen instructions are all in Japanese, and I managed to lose a whole day`s entry at the moment of publishing which was a bit galling.
In the afternoon Hiroko and Romy went for a massage, while me and Toby sloped about in a shopping mall looking at stuff and then went for a walk outside having a good chat. In the Mall Mr Sizuki appeared with his "classmate" and her son and there was some coming and going about whether we should eat again with them. We managed not to. Said to Toby what a coincidence they should be at the Mall too. Later it transpired they had tracked us down, and then went to the onsen where Hiroko and Romy were. Slightly stalkerish really. He is tremendously excited about tomorrow, however, for he has arranged a trip for us to go to the North. It will be an adventure.
Another feast tonight cooked by Hiroko. A big Japanese stew, which was lovely, plus salad and grilled pork. And we drank some beer and bubbly, but Hiroko grew a bit sad with the booze and had to retire early. She has enormous respect here, that much is clear, and she has many accomplishments to be proud of, but her family makes her feel very sad sometimes.
Watching lots of Japanese TV shows which are quite fun, and often don`t require any Japanese to enjoy. Very much of it revolves around physical tasks and pranks. And there are food shows everywhere. Toby and I watched one which was the search for the perfect noodle, which simply involved a bloke wandering about eating noodles and watching the chefs prepare them. Strangely enough it was riveting. The done thing here is to slurp up the noodles noisily which takes a little adjusting to.
Then early to bed.
Below predawn light, and the first sighting of the sun.
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