Family in Japan :)


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Asia » Japan » Tokyo
September 28th 2007
Published: October 2nd 2007
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I just got back from a wonderful weekend with some relatives in Tokyo.

Before I left for Japan, my grandparents gave me some addresses of relatives living in Japan. When I arrived I sent a small letter to a woman named Yasuko, who I think is my Grandparent's cousin? Am I right Grandma and Grandpa, I can't believe I still can't get it straight.

Anyway, Yasuko wrote back promptly and we wrote back and forth a few times exchanging more current family pictures. About a month after our initial contact, Yuka, Yasuko's daughter wrote and invited me to Tokyo to stay with her and her family.

Yuka's letters were in Japanese, so luckily my Japanese friend Emi could translate them for me. We eventually got in contact on the phone and through our broken Japanese and English we managed to set up a date for a visit.

Meeting this extended family has been something I have thought a lot about and really been looking forward to since I first decided that I wanted to come to live in Japan for a bit.

I cannot explain what a wonderful experience it was to meet them and I cannot express how grateful I am for all of their hospitality. About a week before I went up to visit them, Yuka sent me a letter with special English instructions on how to get to her house, which I am sure took quite a bit of work since it was not in her native language. (I have been constantly amazed in our correspondence by Yuka and Yasuko's efforts to communicate in English with me and of their understanding of my VERY humble Japanese).

When we arrived at the station in Tokyo, Yuka was waiting for me. We walked to her apartment about 10 minutes from the station where we were greeted by Yasuko and Yosei (Yuka's 1 year old son) and a beautiful and fairly western apartment that smelled so delicious because Yasuko had been cooking all day.

We had tea and cute little cakes together and just chatted for bit before Yuka and I walked to Karen's school (Yuka's 5 year old daughter). We got to go into Karen's classroom and were greeted by a bunch of adorable Japanese children singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and pointing at me saying, "Dare?" "Dare?" (Who? Who?). They were all
More YoseiMore YoseiMore Yosei

He is adorable!!!
coming up to me and asking questions to which all I could say was Gomene Wakarimasen, Sorry I don't understand 😞. They seemed amused nonetheless.

When we got home we had an amazing homemade Okonomiyaki dinner with apple flavored pork chops, salad, and some other delicious teriyaki meat. Karen and Yosei entertained us throughout dinner, trying out a bunch of English words for me...their favorite was Watermelon 😊.

I stayed the night in a special guest room at Yuka's apartment complex (which was massive by the way!). I had my own room, bathroom, TV etc. I felt like I was at a hotel.

After a good night sleep I woke up to delicious breakfast. At breakfast, Yasuko gave me two beautiful scarves that she made by hand. I was without words, they are beautiful and she must have spent so much time making them! I love them!

After breakfast, Yuka, Karen and I took the train to Ryogaku, the famous Sumo Wrestling Stadium in Tokyo. We even got to see a couple of sumo wrestlers in training! After Ryogaku we went to the Edo Tokyo Museum and then to Akihabara--the Electronic district of Tokyo.

When I got on the train, Yuka handed me a letter from Yasuko and told me to open it on the way home. I opened it up and there was a letter from Yasuko in broken english and another one in Japanese, which I have not had the chance to ask Emi to translate yet and money to pay for all of my train rides from Shizuoka to Tokyo and back.

I am just so astounded by their generosity and their openness and willingness to welcome me and treat me like family without having ever met me before.

While I was visiting I just kept thinking about how crazy it was that we had some of the same blood running through us and how we have lived our lives on opposite sides of the world in such different cultures and how we now speak completely different languages and although we cannot fully communicate with each other, there was still an incredible sense of family.




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2nd October 2007

wow
This is amazing, they sound like such wonderful people, I got a kick out of the part where you went to pick up karen and all her friends were like who the heck are you!?! HAHA i can just imagine that, it's so cute. Well I'm so glad you had such a great experience. They sound so so nice. AMAZING. I love you, Jess
3rd October 2007

So Great!
Sarah, what an amazing experience!! Your family seems so cool...how generous and welcoming! And soon, you will have more family out there for you to share your life in Japan with. Keep the updates coming! Love, Maria

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