Higashi-mukoujima station on arrival. I actually first arrived at the station from the airport, then went to a nearby liquor store (bringing my suitcase inside) where, as I have for the past few years, I bought a bottle of Gekkeikan sake for Kyoko's father. I took this picture when I returned to the station.
Kyoko's parents live less than a minute walk from the station, the most convenient home to a station I've ever visited. The house is right next to the tracks so it's a little noisy, but I love the sound of trains and don't mind at all. This picture was taken on a later day and shows the road leading to their house.
Kyoko's parents. Her father is a retired fireman and now house-husband, while her mother works both at a famous kite museum in Nihonbashi and as a seamstress. Every year Otousan ("father") cooks a delicious dinner and then breakfast for me, and I enjoy talking with him and Okaasan ("mother"). Kyoko has a younger brother, Tadashi, who works as a taxi driver (thus at night). I was only to say hello to him as he arrived at the station when I left the next morning, but on my last day in Japan (see Thursday) I was able to spend a fair amount of time with him.
