The Sun Rises...

Youkoso (welcome) to this blog. I dedicate this blog to the wonderful island nation of Japan and the cultures, sites, and traditions that lie within. I just got off from doing doing volunteer work (in other words, missionary service) in Central Japan (Nagoya, Kanazawa, Nagano, Shizuoka areas, etc.) on behalf of my church. I also spent ten days with my family (who came to Japan to pick me up from my church mission) recently, touring parts of the country, including a long overdue visit with relatives from my mom's side of the family; so yeah, I am half Japanese. A little over a year ago now, Japan and in particular, the Tōhoku region was struck by an earthquake and tsunami causing widespread destruction and resultant nuclear problems. Recovery efforts are still ongoing.

I was living in the city of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture at the time... And my relatives live not too far from the affected region but no one was negatively affected, thankfully. But over 15,000 lost their lives and I continue to mourn for those 15,000 plus. As I pressed through to the one-year anniversary mark of that tragic day, I found a new sense of respect and admiration for the Japanese people. The disaster caused more than just death or loss; people were displaced, money had to be spent (and it's always expensive!) for just about everything that needed replacing, and even the economy was negatively affected.

At the same time, people were united. Relationships became stronger. And all that plus more in response to a tragedy-turned-recovery effort. This blog allows me the opportunity to reflect upon my time spent in Japan and mentally go back to some of the places I've visited when I was a missionary. I can also tell you about some of these places myself since I spent a considerable amount of time in a few places. I hope all of you who read this blog will also find enjoyment and interest in stuff that's "all about Japan." Here's to Japan, her people, and their ways of life!