Already Come of Age

Hey guys, this is my 100th blog post! Only someone nerdy like me keeps track of these things, but it is interesting because if you look carefully, I started my blog exactly a year ago! So it's Happy Anniversary for my blog, Happy 100th posting, AND, yesterday was Coming of Age Day in Japan. This is a day on which Japanese youngsters celebrate their becoming adults. So young men and ladies across the nation who have turned 20 in the previous year gather at their respective city hall for a ceremony. The girls dress in kimonos, the guys wear traditional yukatas (called the "happi" I think), and everyone looks sharp. It's a great chance for people to get back together with long lost junior high and high school classmates.

Anyways, I digress. I had an awesome day off with my cool Japanese friends, Yoshua, Yoshi, Kayo and Natsuki. We all "came of age" a few years back (a dozen years ago for me, in case you're keeping score at home)... but we celebrated the "day off" by going out for lunch, then watching a movie at Yoshi's place (Nada So-so- - 涙そうそう), then treking out to my place for a delicious 鍋 (nabe) dinner, and another movie (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Great times by all... man I wish national holidays were even more frequent... and that Yoshi didn't have to leave for mainland so soon.