First....I finally went to Japan and enjoyed the absolute shit out of it!!!!
I still had a lot of people scared of me, but I would instantly start talking to them and they all ended up super warm and friendly, and I got a lot of random gifts from people who just thought I was very cute and funny. Akira's uncle gave me a pink pearl necklace just on that fact...which was awkward because no one knew how to react to him giving me such a gift, but I wear it all the time now. LOL.
A number of people thought I was a Disney princess hahaha, so anytime Akira told them no I'm his wife, they'd look at us confused, haha. Some business men told him good job. Hahaha. The immigration officers at the airport kept showing each other my picture and told me I was beautiful. So instantly...just on arriving, I felt better, haha.
It makes such a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference being able to talk to people in Japanese. Oh my goodness...
I didn't get lost in the Tokyo Station this time either.
I wasn't skinny this time either...I ended up leaving Japan at the weight of 150 pounds :-(. But again, I probably got more positive attention then negative.
The wedding was pretty cute, a little funny, but over all extremely sweet. Akira's father formally introduced to everyone as his daughter, and we did all the bowing and the politeness and what not. Akira's sister had me up with her a few times, and I even got to hold her hand and walk her around as she said her hellos from table to table.
Isn't she just beautiful???
The after party, after I was pretty buzzed, I ended up smashed at the party. I got drawn to be on stage to compete in a "how fast can you eat a soy bar and drink down lemon juice" contest. I would have won but the guys competing with me kept making jokes and I kept laughing so much I couldn't eat. I even took the microphone and was talking to everyone and everyone was cheering. I felt like a rock star.
After the wedding, and all of us were hung over. His little sister had thrown up all night while his mom cried all night and we were all together drunk in a hotel room (the wine my mother in law drank was labeled "happy wine" lol) ...we staggered to the bullet train and went to Nagaoka. :-D Again, his family was great, we went to his uncle's again and got new glasses.
I know you can't really see it but I'm also wearing the pearls, loool.
It was just so much fun! I could shop, I could order food, I could read somewhat... And then, his family took us to this super fancy sushi place for my sister in law's and mine birthdays! Again we got smashed, and that was again super fun.
We saw the cherry blossoms! We went to a massive Shinto Shrine and his mom formally wished us happiness, and I wished to be a good family member...and so on and so forth. We went to two castles and a beautiful wasabi farm.
It was a really great trip. It looks like in August we will try to go again for Hanabi.... but we'll see.
:-D
From my D+ first time to a soring A+++ this time.
I still got a little turned off by some things, but now...I understand enough on how to avoid unpleasantness. LOL.
Sorry for the weirdness of this photo, I didn't sleep well last night looool, but here's a shot of the pearl necklace...pink and the pearls are from Japan and the charm is a sakura <3.
