Visitors from Texas, part II

Whew! What a whirlwind of activity our house has been! My folks came and stayed with us for about a week (not nearly long enough!), so I postponed all my blogging until my return to work. This whole week is going to be slow, so I’ll have plenty of time to write. I haven’t downloaded any photos yet, so you’ll have to wait a day or two for those.

On Wednesday the 2nd, Ridge and I rode the train for our first time! With the help of my friend Fusae, we were able to buy our tickets and make all the connections without any problem. Ridge had a wonderful time until he had to use the bathroom.
The area in which the restrooms were located was too bumpy and scary for him. After a bit of terrified screaming (on his part), he decided that he could wait until reaching the airport.

Once at the airport, we easily located and checked into the hotel. My parents arrived safely after a bit of a delay in Osaka and I made a promise to myself to never, ever forget to ask for flight information again. I had not asked Mom what their flight number was and didn’t know what gate to go to. Ridge and I did a lot of walking and worrying until I finally got some information via Aaron (who had to call my aunt in Texas!).

The next day, Dad and I rented a too-large van – it resembled a VW bus on steroids – picked up Mom and Ridge, and began the long drive back to the village. The rest of the day and most of the next were devoted to resting up from the long, long trip. For dinner, I introduced my parents to ramen (not like the dried up stuff they sell in the U.S.) and our friend Colin. Saturday found us attending a neighborhood children’s association party. It was fantastic for us to take my parents to an authentic Japanese barbecue. The kids played some organized games first, and then everyone gathered around the barbecue pits to cook and eat. As night crept up on us, the adults broke out the fireworks and provided us with some interesting entertainment.

Sunday was a busy day. For lunch, we joined Mr. and Mrs. Tao for a lunch of soba noodles at their house. As usual, Mr. Tao tried to get me to slurp my noodles more loudly. They say, “the louder, the better – it’s a compliment.” For dinner, we went to Mr. Kamaya’s house (my boss) for a more traditional meal. The Kamaya’s really enjoyed showing my folks traditional Japanese foods and how to eat them.

The next day, Monday, was a special day in Japan. Traditionally, the week of August 14th (or thereabouts) is called Obon. It’s a time when families return to their parents’ homes or ancestral homes and honor those who have come before them. This week, there will be many dances and ceremonies all over Japan. One ceremony involves candles and boats that will be floated in water. So, in the past, this was a time when many people needed a lot of candles. Children used to go door to door, singing a song and asking for candles. This has, today, morphed into something like a Japanese trick-or-treat event. Not many places practice this, but Nishiokoppe does. So, Monday night, all the children in the village gathered at the elementary school to play with fireworks for a while. Many of the girls wore a summer dress, like a simple kimono, known as a yukata. After the fireworks, the children broke into groups and went house to house asking for candy. Several pre-school moms took groups of pre-schoolers, thereby allowing other parents to return home to pass out goodies. We left Ridge and Holt in the care of Mrs. Taniguchi, who lives across the street. Then for the next hour or so, kids came to our door and we passed out treats. I even made some of the middle school kids sing a song in English before giving them a cookie. They loved the chance to perform!

On Tuesday, Mom and I hung out with the boys while Aaron and Dad drove off to a volcano. After a tram ride up a ways, they got out and hiked a bit up the side of the mountain. Dad got some good shots of the steam vents. Mom and I decided we were glad to stay at home with the kids. It was hot outside!

Thursday saw us driving to Sapporo with some stops along the way. Once we checked into the hotel in Sapporo, we walked around and enjoyed the people watching. It just so happened that Thursday was the last night for the big Beer Garden festival happening in the park that the hotel bordered. That meant loads and loads of happy Japanese folks of all ages drinking beer, talking, and singing.

Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to my parents the next day, Friday. Still, like I told Mom, one year down, one more to go. We’ll be back in America in about eleven months and I’m sure they will just fly by!

So now, we are resting up. I’ve returned to work, though school doesn’t start for a week. Aaron and the boys are hanging out at home – the pre-school his on summer vacation this week, since it is Obon. Soon, our days will be full of village festivals and school festivals as the year cycles onward. I look forward to enjoying them this year, since now I understand what to expect!