Between Bagels and Rice: Naoki's first trip to Japan!

We went to Japan from the end of January to early February - right before Hiroko went back to work. This was Oren's third trip across the Pacific and he did really well on the plane - so well that he didn't sleep at all! Naoki was also a champ and barely made a peep throughout the entire way there. Boy were we glad to see Hiroko's parents when we got there.

Very soon after we got there we went to the resort town of Hakone to enjoy some time in the hot water springs. We all slept in one big room with tatami mats each with our own futon. Oren went into the onsen (hot water bath) many times and Naoki went in as well. We went to the Hakone Open Air museum - an outdoor sculpture museum that Hiroko went to many times while growing up. Oren had a blast trying all the climbing structures and even walked all the way up a tall tower. We think his favorite part was the foot onsen (foot bath). He didn't want to leave!

Naptime! after a long drive

At the Hakone sculpture park

We made a yukata for Oren.

Playing with cars

We got to celebrate Oren's actual third birthday in Japan with Hiroko's parents and grandparents. There were balloon animals and strawberry cake!

Oren got to ride trains, subways and even a bus. We took him to the Ueno Zoo and Hiroko's cousin Yuki joined us. Oren got to see elephants and a panda which we don't have at the Seattle Zoo and we spent a long time watching a polar bear playing with a ball in his pool.

polar bear walking above us

Naoki spent a lot of time with Obaachama and especially with O-Ojiichama while Oren went out with us. O-Ojiichama got very good at quieting Naoki down when he was upset and would pick him up whenever he could.

Like each of his cousins and his brother before him, Naoki had his omiyamairi (first blessing) at the Meiji Shrine (Hiroko and Miwako were also blessed there). It was a sunny and smooth train ride and walk to the shrine and Naoki was safely blessed. Oren was pretty well-behaved while watching the ritual and was most interested in the dancing part. Afterwards Obaachama and Jiji took us to a celebratory lunch with O-jiichama and O-obaachama and Great Aunt Sachiko. Naoki was then dressed in the family kimono - he is the 8th to wear this kimono in the family - for the obligatory family photo session. Naoki did great!

On our way to the Meiji Shrine