another epically long flight back to japan.. and only a week later. what day is this?

i was happy to see taku waiting for me at the airport! i could have navigated the trains through the greater tokyo metropolitan, but wasn't in any condition to do so smiling. when we got back to his place i pretty much just passed out - and right in the middle of the pride fight too!

on the first we got up and did a little bit of city exploring. we were both surprised to find most of the city on shut-down for the holiday. we did eventually find a crowd of people in harajuku and blindly followed them past the most amazing street food and right through the gates of the famous meiji shrine! we ended up there completely by mistake, but even i know that meiji shrine is the single most popular (and therefore best) place in japan to wish/pry for good luck on the first of the year! the long walk through the woods was serenely zen-ful despite our sharing it with a few million people. of course, i have no great understanding or faith in shinto practices, but i followed suite and threw 5 en just in case it brings me some luck this year. it couldn't hurt, right?

we got home around beer o'clock - and because taku's mom was regretfully away (helping her father at their family shrine) - the guys headed out in search of refreshment. we found an izakaiya near the train station that was open and we all shuffled in. taku's brother manned the touch-screen menu controller and dad paid for everything! the food was great and it became clear that taku's heart-and-soul appreciation/enjoyment of good food and drink runs in his bloodline! sadly this indulgence would be our undoing - taku and i drank too much and sang karaoke too long into the night. we managed to waste the 2nd and the 3rd due to hangovers that could not be cured with ramen alone.

when taku's mom returned, she was finally able to resurrect us with her fabulous omochi new-years cooking extravaganza! but by the time we were aliveist, it was time for me to head home. taku's mom is the sweetest lady to bless this half of the planet and was so sad to see me go. she gave me cute new year's good luck charms and even forced some cash on me with tears in her eyes.

i loved to spending time with the aihara's and had a very japanese new year. now i feel like I have a family here, and though they're still not close, they're closer.