Narita, Japan - November 6th, 2010

Japan, Kamakura - My 28th Birthday - November 2nd, 2010

Kamakura was hands-down my favorite place I visited in Japan - so nice I went twice! Captivating, colorful, and sleepy, I never wanted to leave. I was smitten immediately by the charming surfers, cloudless skies, and candy shops run by the cutest Obāsans in Nippon.

As a huge Murakami fan, random cat sightings in Japan held a special significance for me, and the feeling that anything could happen if you only let it, was magically prevalent here in Kamakura. 

We stumbled upon a wedding that evening, as if my student Sanae had planned it for us.  She had given us detailed instructions for the day already, what sights to see, what trains to take etc.  She really wanted us to have the full Japanese cultural experience, complete with "the best tacos in Japan."  Since it was our shared birthday (Renee and I were both born on November 2nd, 1982) and we hadn't seen Mexican food since July, we wanted tacos.  We got something that looked a little bit like tacos, but was primarily lettuce wedges, tomatoes, and barely cooked bacon slivers - no cheese!  It did not dampen the day one bit though, and served us right anyway for not doing Japanese cuisine to begin with.