New Year 2010

As usual we spent New Year at Baba's house. Rika want down a day ahead of me on the 29th and stayed until Jan 8th, while I returned to Tokyo on Jan 3th to focus on the year-end work.

Baba had a full-house with us, Yu-chan & Makoji-chan, and Nao-chan, Ni-chan, Masumi and Chiyaki.

Hannah chatting with Makoji-chan



Hannah looking upset about something

Hannah and Musashi reunited.

New Years day breakfast. Nao-chan, Masumi and Ni-chan

As usual I forgot to get take proper family photos. Sorry about that.

Hannah made this sad face with her breakfast.


and this happy face.

Rika, Hannah returned to Tokyo with Baba who stayed with us for a few days. On Saturday we all MeijiJingu for 'hatsumoude' or first visit to a shrine in the new year. Last year 3.19 million people visited Meiji Shrine during the first 3 days of new year (!), making it Japan's busiest. We visited later, on Jan 9th , and as you can see we largely avoided the crowds.



Hannah and Baba playing with 'Nendo' (playdough)


Another important new year tradition in Japan is sending and receiving new year greeting card ('nengajou'). Rika made a family card for us to send. The tiger is because 2010 is the year of the tiger.

When we returned home we found this nengajou in the post from Hannah which she made at school. Awwwww!