Sayonara Japan

Kimono
Originally uploaded by Shanti, shanti.

Sayonara
Houses in snow country with no insulation, tiny kitchen without a work surface, putting down and picking up your bed everyday, cycling to work in rain and snow, people who stare, variety shows, people who run away, people who look in your trolley at the supermarket ot follow you round picking up things you’ve just put down, empty seat next to you on a packed out train, people who sit next to you, realise that you are foreign, and then change seats, sardine trains of Tokyo, bacon in everything, sweltering hot and humid summers, concrete everywhere, and sleepy students

Sayonara
Tatami in the summer, cycling to work in 5 minutes, quiet Buddhist temples, okonomiyaki, ancient matsuri, second-hand kimono shops, cycling out to Nail for curry, rice padi, cold soba, bento boxes, Niigata sake, beautiful furoshiki, Malaika, sesame spinach, ski trips, creative licence with my classes, excellent boss and head of department (caring friendly and a bit mad), lush potluck dinners at J & J’s house, Nojiriko, red caps on stone Buddhas, Loft, Shibata cycle path, mitarashi dango, enlightening conferences, beautiful mountain backdrop, diverse and amazing long-term expats, Tokyo, convenience stores with everything in them, free tissues on the street, nice pottery, onigiri, my friends, my students, Shinkansen, ekibento, tsukemono, not having to wear a suit in the land of suits, cool postcards, natto, nabbana, mochi, and excellent 100 yen shops