There is a Japanese national holiday on the second Monday of October known as Health and Sports Day, a day to promote health and physical and mental well-being. Many schools, including ours, hold a sports day during this time, which is like a mini-Olympics with games and some little choreographed performances by each grade. Since the kids are only in nursery school it was not too competitive like older grades, but it was so cute! Even Arisa’s class had a little mini obstacle course where they walk over a little bridge, crawl through a tunnel, then reach the goal. Then there was also a short race. Both were done with a parent. Keiji’s group did a pirate-themed number (isn’t that perfect Auntie Jackie?) for their performance. They had an obstacle course as well which involved jumping down from a stack of planks and tapping a tambourine while jumping off, then running over some rings on the ground, then a parent would give them a piggy back ride to their goal, where they’d get a gold medal from inside a treasure box. The parents have a game as well. We were separated into two teams. Each person wore a string around an ankle, with a balloon at then end. Then each team had to try to pop the other teams balloons. Whichever team had the most balloons left won. It was actually pretty tiring after all the activities were over. It was really fun though. The kids did so well! I can’t believe they can already follow  choreographed routines. Another  Japanese event I often heard about and have seen on TV dramas and finally got to experience for myself.

It was their first meeting but it didn’t take long for Ethan and Keiji to get acquainted with each other. Don’t they look rather suspicious in this photo?

Here is Myles at 1 week old! He made a rather surprise early appearance. But look how alert he is already.

We looked after these two little guys while in New York. To this day when Arisa sees a picture of a cat or any cat walking by, she calls it Steve or Bobby.

I miss brunch. I can eat Eggs Benedict, waffles with sausage, or a stack of pancakes at any time of the day. But I do love a hearty breakfast served at noon. On our last weekend in NYC, my family took the kids and I to a yummy Sunday brunch at The Popover Cafe. It was about a 45-minute wait, which I think is the norm for Sunday brunch on the Upper West Side for some reason. Well, I suppose a lot of people in NY generally love brunch. Perhaps because we all wake up too late on weekends but don’t want to skip the breakfast foods, and having a mimosa at 8am feels rather early.

Last month the kids and I had the chance to visit my home state and stay at an amazing beach-front house on Long Island, which is just about an hour east of Manhattan. It was like being in a peaceful oasis so close to the city. Too bad it was winter in New York at the time, but having this postcard view to wake up to every morning was still pretty excellent. Fortunately there were some nice warm days that made it possible for the kids and I to take walks along the shore, play on the sand and pick up seashells. We still enjoyed the winter season. The kids had fun playing in the snow.

Being back home was a nice break from our solitude in Tokyo since all my family and friends live within the five boroughs and its surrounding towns. Even though we didn’t do anything really extraordinary it was nice being with friends and family or just staying up late watching tv dramas that I can understand without needing to concentrate. It was great for the kids too, having family or friends to play with everyday. It was so stress-free and really like a holiday.
We made a few excursions to the city, but commuting with the kids on the trains was rather stressful. It’s pretty stressful in Tokyo as well, but NYC subways (and even the Long Island Railroad) are pretty dirty compared to the trains in Japan and I really hated it when the kids would climb on the seat and press close up against the windows. I must’ve looked like a maniac trying to babywipe any surface within my reach. At first Arisa seemed a bit nervous as we strolled along the busy streets. Perhaps it was so strange for her to see all the different faces and the bustling downtown streets. But Keiji seemed unaffected by the surroundings. Perhaps a part of his brain still has some of those places stored in his memory bank. I’d point to places where we’d once taken him and he’d say “Oh, that’s where mommy and daddy took Keiji baby?” “Yes, sweetie.” It was nice to be back for a while to soak in a bit of the old ‘hood.

I wish we could’ve hosted a traditional Christmas family dinner at our place but perhaps another year it will be possible. So on Christmas Eve we went to Jinya in Ebisu, a robatayaki place. It’s cozy and dimly-lit with tatami floor seats and they serve lots of tasty izakaya fare plus nabe- a very comfortable place to get out from a cold winter night.

And for Christmas Day lunch we went to The French Kitchen Brasserie. It was a lunch buffet in which appetizers and desserts were all you could eat and you choose one main course. Many things from appetizer buffet bar for the kids -an egg station where they will cook your eggs to order, a fresh fruit station, salad fixings, cheese,  bread, and desserts.

Spending the holidays in Tokyo was very different than what my parents are normally used to but at least there is enough Western influence that places all over Tokyo are decorated for the season with Christmas trees and lights that make it feel like back home. It’s nice to be surrounded by the sparkle and shine of the season but what ends up counting the most is the company of loved ones and sharing the time together.  Their stay here really made the holidays extra special for us.

After doing a little research I found that the tradition started around the Heian period (794-1185). The nobles considered these ages a very important time in a child’s life. So on a lucky day in November they celebrated the growth of their children during these ages. In Japanese numerology odd numbers are considered lucky. But these ages also had significance because at the age of seven, a young girl could wear her first obi replacing the simple cords used, while at the age of five a young boy could wear his first hakama. After some time, the practice began amongst the samurai and the age of three marked the first time when both boys and girls were allowed to let their hair grow. It was during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa was said to be celebrating the growth of his son on November 15th. By the Edo period (1603-1868) it became more common for people to visit shrines and to have prayers offered by priests, so the practice of shichi-go-san spread to people outside the nobility. The shichi-go-san custom which is practiced today largely came from the Meiji era (1868-1912). November 15 was chosen for shichi-go-san because it was considered one of the most auspicious days of the year in the Japanese almanac. But since the day is not a national holiday, most families celebrate shichi-go-san on the weekend just before or after November 15th by visiting a shrine where the priest will say prayers wishing the children long, healthy and prosperous lives.