In Yamagawa with Yoko

On the final days of my spring break travel I went further south than I had ever been before in Japan, to Kyushu Island. I had a great travel companion in my dear friend Yoko who I met when I lived in the Hiroshima countryside nearly 9 years ago!

It was a wonderfully woman focused trip. We went to the town of Yamagawa known for its Hina Matsuri (girls day festival) mobiles, you can see one in the photos. Originally I think the festival was to bring good luck and timely marriage for daughters. These days it seems to be more to celebrate the health and happiness of girls in Japan. We stayed with Yoko's friend Yukarin, and her mother gave me a small mobile with turtles, swans, and rabbits on it that I will always treasure.

We also took a boat ride down the canals of Yamagawa with a singing ojiisan driver for our boat. Even Yoko had a hard time understanding his local Japanese dialect. Regardless of what he was saying, we thought he was darling.