REMEMBER THAT BABY BACK IN TOYAMA IN 1967? MAKI-CHAN?? 

HERE SHE IS AGAIN, 1969, WITH HER MOTHER, YURIKO OHTA AS THEY, AND THEIR FATHER/HUSBAND, SHIGEAKI OHTA, SEE ME OFF AFTER FINISHING MY TWO YEAR CONTRACT. I WASN'T VERY HAPPY LEAVING, BUT THE PROGRAM WAS ENDED, SO I WAS OFF TO SEE WHAT WOULD COME NEXT.

FAST FORWARD TO THIS TRIP, AND YURIKO AND SHIGEAKI WITH THEIR SECOND CHILD, MASATO AND HIS TWO CHILDREN, KASI AND SARA,  ARE MEETING ME UPON ARRIVAL. USUALLY ITS JUST SHIGEAKI, BUT AS COINCIDENCE WOULD HAVE IT, THEY WERE ALSO SEEING THE YOUNGERS OFF TO THEIR HOME IN SYDNEY. HOW NICE...IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE I HAD SEEN THEM.  IN THE WAKE OF THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT MELT DOWN, MASATO AND FAMILY DECIDED TO LEAVE JAPAN FOR A SAFER ENVIRONMENT. THEY LOVE AUSTRALIA  AND THE PARENTS ENJOY VISITING THEM THERE.

NOT LONG AFTER I LEFT TOYAMA, THE OHTA'S MOVED TO MITO, IBARAKI, AND THEY BOUGHT THIS HOUSE IN A NEW SUBDIVISION. I HAVE VISITED MANY TIMES, EVEN "BABYSITTING" IT FOR 16 MONTHS IN 1989-1991.

SHIGE IS RETIRED, BUT NEVER ONE TO SIT STILL, HE IS LEARNING SLAB-BUILT POTTERY, BASKET WEAVING, AS WELL AS HAVING DESIGNED AND BUILT MANY ADDITIONS TO THE HOUSE, AND FURNITURE FOR IT.

AND HE HAS GONE INTO FARMING. IN ADDITION TO A LARGE VEGETABLE GARDEN, HE ANNUALLY PRODUCES RICE ON A ½ ACRE WET PADDY WHICH HE RENTS.

EVERY MORNING AT 5:00 HE IS OFF ON HIS SCOOTER TO SEE WHATS READY TO BE TAKEN BACK FOR BREAKFAST.

MITO, BEING THE PREFECTURAL CAPITAL, HAS ALL THE MAJOR SERVICES, INCLUDING A JR RAILROAD TRAVEL OFFICE WHERE RAIL PASSES CAN BE ACTIVATED AND TICKETS PURCHASED.

SINCE I HAD AN ITINERARY SET UP, SO PEOPLE DOWN THE LINE WOULD KNOW WHEN I WAS ARRIVING, I GOT TICKETS, AND RESERVED SEATS, FOR ALL MY SEGMENTS, AND AN ENVELOP INTO WHICH I COULD PLACE USED TICKETS.