“Land of the Rising Sun” Reunion

After three long years, due to Covid and Japan’s reticence to open it’s borders, I finally had a chance to visit what I consider “my second home” en route to and from my trip to Indonesia (it is my biannual journey to Sumatra with Body & Soul Ministries/Caris Foundation for our eye surgery camps). I decided to take full advantage of the fact that the route goes through Tokyo. I visited good friend Kevin Blackburn, who worked for me back in the’80s, and his wife Yoko - who live an hour north of Tokyo. And the Ishiguro family outside of Nagoya. My wife and I first met them on a weeklong home-stay way back in 1988. For 35-years we have stayed in touch and watched kids grow up and become grandparents on opposite sides of the world. Pretty amazing! In the context of all of that I spent time visiting old haunts and favorite places. Narita City and a ryokan I’ve stayed at for over 35 years, then down to Tokyo to Asakusa (I love Asakusa) — another fave ryokan, jazz at the Hub, Sensoji Temple and fine grub. Then down to Nagoya and Aramatsu (an old town in the suburbs) and Nagoya Castle with the Ishiguros. Visiting Takayama, considered to be “the Most Beautiful and Traditional Town in Japan” and also a place my wife and I visited 38 years ago, just one year into our marriage. What a fairy tale town — the old town has been beautifully preserved dating from the Edo Period (1603-1868), when the city thrived as a wealthy merchant town. Great ending to a wonderful journey! Forty years visiting the “Land of the Rising Sun” and I still can’t get enough of this place!!