Spring Has Arrived

The weather is finally gorgeous in Tokyo (I'm pretty sure I just jinxed it by saying that). We are currently celebrating Golden Week in Japan. Usually, 4 different holidays fall in one week so they just take off the other day in the week. That's right, it's a Spring Break for the entire country! America should totally adopt something like this. Only the prices to fly anywhere go through the roof (even more than normal). This year last Thursday, April 29, was a holiday and then Monday through Wednesday of this week. John is working from home (sort of), and I am enjoying having him here. We've been able to get out a little, too, to do some Tokyo exploring. Just for your random info (may help in some future trivia game), here are the holidays for Golden Week:

April 29 - Showa Day (showa-no-hi: birthday of the former emperor, Shouwa

May 3 - Constitutional Memorial Day (kenpou-kinen-bi): new Japanese constitution was put into effect May 3, 1947

May 4 - Greenery Day (midori-no-hi): shows appreciation toward nature

May 5 - Children's Day (kodomono-hi): there's a Japanese Boy's Festival called tango-no-sekku and is a day to pray for the healthy growth of boys. Many families hang up carp (fish) streamers outside their houses. Here's a picture:

We tried to go buy these fish for some friends back home that have had boys in the last year...sorry, guys, the set started at $150. You couldn't buy individual flags, either. Oh, well...it's the thought that counts, right? Also for the boys, families display these samurai dolls in their houses:

The price for this guy was $1,280. This was way on sale, too! These are generally gifts from the grandparents that are passed down through the family. A cool, but expensive tradition!

On Saturday, John and I got to get out and see a very nice garden that is right next to his office building. They had beautiful wisteria, azaleas, and peonies. They also had a 300 year old pine tree that used the bonsai technique on. John is all into bonsai as of right now. He even has his own little tree that he is pruning. We won't discuss the gross little white bugs that are growing on it (and hopefully not on me) or the day he repotted it on our dining room table over one of our nice pottery platters we bought here. I know it won't be hard for you all to imagine my dear husband sitting at the table (on our white chairs over our rug), amazingly muddy hands, making an "I'm caught" face when I walked into the room. Hysterical! I wish I had photos of that, but I'll share the Japan blooms with you instead.

They also have tons of Dogwood trees, so I am very much reminded of springs in East Texas! People here have been impressed with my flower knowledge. Thanks, MOM!

That's all for now! Love and miss you all!