Winter Vacation, December 21 - 25

Friday, December 21
Nat arrived in the afternoon, and I met him in Sannomiya. Chris arrived several hours later with the car. We ate a filling dinner of hearty fried foods at Katsukura then drove to my place, our base camp for vacation.

Saturday, December 22
We woke early for a trek into Osaka. Nat ignored the rain, wandering contentedly through the comic book shops of Namba. Chris and I, built of far weaker stuff, stayed dry over lattes in the shelter of a coffee shop. For lunch we huddled around a hot grill, warming ourselves in the thick odors of browning okonomiyaki and accompanying cigarette smoke.

We returned to Miki for dinner at Sagami.

Before bed and clad in our pajamas, we cut a Christmas cake baked by Chris’s students. In Japan, frosting-heavy, over-priced cakes are a holiday staple. For Americans more accustomed to bricks of dried fruit, we had an excuse for a heavy sugar indulgence.

Sunday, December 23
We drove to Takarazuka to visit a museum dedicated to artist Tezuka Osamu and his works, of whom and of which Nat is a fan.

The museum was nice, located nearby the famous Takarazuka Theater. There were many displays, showing Tezuka’s illustrations.

We ate lunch at a dog café. We dined amidst yapping dogs and yapping owners. The food was wonderfully fresh and light, but it took forever to arrive.

I finished the meal with a light pumpkin tart. From the little we saw of Takarazuka, I loved it. Of course, most cities have far more to offer than Miki does.

We left the museum for nearby Amagasaki, in a foolish attempt to visit the only Costco in the region on a Sunday afternoon. We dropped Nat off at the front, where he could shop at Carrefour next door, and Chris and I wound up waiting in line for parking for an hour. And all because the Costco employees couldn’t organize parking. No matter though. We got our pizza and stocked up on Western goodies.

Monday, December 24
We woke up late, I believe, and drove to nearby Seishin. Chris and I booked a trip to Seoul. A bit random, a bit last-minute, but we’re trying to squeeze in as many trips abroad as we can.

The boys spent the evening packing, and I spent the evening playing 塊魂.

Tuesday, December 25
We woke to a very un-Christmas morning—it never quite feels like Christmas away from my family—though Nat had given Chris and me gifts of books. I received The Thirteenth Tale--a modern story heavily influenced by Gothic novels such as Wuthering Heights--which by this point in time, I've read and loved. Good pick, Nat!

We left Miki in the late afternoon for Sannomiya, our suitcases rolling slowly behind us. We deposited the bags at the station then met Lauren, who had arrived from Kyoto after a workday. The four of us ate dinner at a bar/restaurant called Pronto.

I had a cheese pizza, a pumpkin cheese-ar (that's cheese + Caesar) salad, and a yuzu gin and tonic. I needed a bit more alcohol for the long bus ride, but oh well.

After desserts at lactobacillus-worshipping Milky Road, we boarded a night bus that would take us to Tokyo. As usual, I struggled to fall asleep, waking up during several of the rest stops made by the driver. The last awakening I remembered was at 5:00 am, and I thought, ohgoodonlytwomorehours. I woke again later, thinking briefly that it was surprisingly bright for 7:00 am (our arrival time), but I drifted back asleep. When I gained total consciousness, it was to discover that our bus was delayed by THREE HOURS. On the upside, we made a stop Ashigaya, with a view of Mount Fuji amidst Valentine decorations

Stay tuned for what happens next. Dum dum dum.