Mom and Keiko arrive in Japan, October, 2010

We made it, ll hours and 6 minutes of flying from LAX to Narita Airport located just outside Tokyo, Japan.
Mom and I arrived safely and our Japanese adventure began.
Our first destination was to go to Nagasaki on the southern island of Kyushu.
There, we visited with my father's family, the Tsutsui's...this would be my grandfather's mother's side of the family.
It was a warm and happy gathering for all of us...my father's 2nd cousins, Hisashi and Masako,
Hisashi's wife, Sumiko and their children and grandchildren.
How easy it was for me to feel close to them, even only meeting them for the first time and I am 60 plus years old.....wow!!!
Precious time, short or long, is still so very precious.
Mom and I are now in Tokyo...staying at what I think must be one of the most beautiful hotels in the world,. Peninsula  Hotel, Tokyo. It is subtle, understated elegance and designed so beautifully and functionally...wow
We decided to clean up, dress up and check it all out.

Masako, Sumiko, Hisashi, Mom (Yasuko)

Well, we ended up on the 24th floor, sharing appetizers and having drinks to celebrate (again) her 85th birthday (in November).....We have been celebrating continuously since May, and why not!
We are enjoying visiting with family,waking up at 3:30am and sharing old memories, eating all the yummy Japanese food that we both love (a little scary...I am eating and enjoying a little too much)...and walking about, just taking it all in "together" .....and "together" is the best part of all.

                            The beginning of our multicourse Japanese dinner with the Tsutsui's in Nagasaki.

                        We had a full autumn moon and the city lights of Nagasaki to make our evening complete.


Sayonara for now,
Keiko and Yasuko Motoko Tanaka Koga