Japan, the journal: days 7-8
Day 7 We had a good long sleep and awoke to birdsongs we don’t hear at home. We asked what bird made such a sound and were told they were nightingales. We ate a simple breakfast of fruit, yogurt and bread, but discovered that Okaasan had made the yogurt and one of the varieties of bread she offered. I also learned that she had saved a coffee cup from my previous visit, when I was unable to pack the one I had decorated at a nearby pottery workshop. She gave it to me to drink from on my first morning back. To begin our day, we took a walk through the neighborhood, taking pictures of flowers and scenery. Some buildings showed traditional methods of construction. Terraced rice fields had not yet been planted. Kodomo no hi, boy’s day, was approaching, so there were some carp flags flying. We visited the village shrine in peaceful dappled sunshine. Back at home, Takeru watered the flowers...