Nagano highlights

Students at their Seijin Shiki
former students, one on left was an English prodigy with University ambitions. I always saw her at her parents' soba shop. She failed an exam to go to the local top high school and commuted 90 mins to another high school, this is how she's changed.
rice
Nitta twins, both at the same art University
pears
Going back to my old home in Nagano, I saw many old friends and did lots of fun stuff; highlights were with yoga friend June and her family, the Nakamuras (my 'host' family and apple farmers), and Karaki Sensei from taiko drum class. I went to a taiko performance and the ceremony was the annual 'adult become' ceremony for 20 year-olds. Didn't know in advance, but all the kids were my students from 6 years ago. Good to see many, and I remebered lots of names. Going for dinner with some next week in Tokyo. Spent 2 mornings picking Shinano Red apples and Nashi Asian pears. Stayed with the Nakamuras for Obon, the time of remembering the dead. I went with them to the family cemetary and laid incense on the graves, then lit fireworks. The grandkids are all in English classes and once in a while shout out words in context. One of them is 4, the others are 10 and 6. One of the adults there needed to talk to someone about tantra, a new discovery of his, and something that's an off-limits topic with any other Japanese he knows. Another showed me his lifework, many oil paintings, and said that he just does apple farming to pay the bills. Returning to Tokyo has totally thrown off my body rhythms. 3 hour daily commutes, vitamin drinks, 2 restaurants a day, beer to make you hit the sack, then wake up an hour before you're ready to catch the last possible train to get you to work before the 9am bell and meeting.