country bumkin

i visited my boyfriend's family last weekend in urasa, niigata - proper countryside japan. the house was old and traditional, the scenery was amazing and the food was even better. it was stinking hot, involved afternoon siestas, countless chu-hi's, glasses of shochu (filled three quarters of the way to the top!), and lots of broken/translated japanese and english.

so beautiful.

tick, tock.

japan is great at reminding you of things.. watch your step when walking onto an escalator, don't get your finger caught in the elevator doors, etc etc.

in koriyama, the city council reminds us of the time, with chimes at 7am, 12 midday and 6pm. at first i found them irritating, but i'm really warming to the joy to the world ditty that wakes me up every morning.

it also urges me to get off my arse and actually do something with my day before work starts.