Great Community

Today was a day that we were able to relax with nothing on the schedule. We have been showered with gifts from the neighbors, and have almost got a fully furnished house already. We were given a sofa, two large carpets, a kitchen table and chairs, coffee table and microwave oven. Also a rice cooker was donated to us to use, until we are able to get our own.

We have received lots of food gifts, which is typical Japanese custom. I have never seen a community, where everyone helps each other out like they do here. It is similar to living in a old hippy commune, where everyone shares everything and helps each other out when needed. When the warmer weather gets here I am told that we will have unlimited free vegetables, with everyone having large gardens. Some of the vegetables that are commonly grown here that I know of are potatoes, corn, hot peppers, cabbage, garlic, onions, asparagus, rice, and buckwheat.

I am sure there is much more that I will learn of in the coming months. Snowman came and visited us today, and took us for a drive up to the mountains, we took some nice pictures and saw a frozen lake and a natural hot springs, with lots of deep snow. The mountains are only a 15 minute drive from our house.