Reminders

It’s Golden Week,

four holidays in one week.

It started Saturday with the birthday of the late Emperor Showa Hirohito,

followed by Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi) on Wednesday celebrating the 1947 ratification of the constitution, Green Day (Midori no hi) on Thursday honoring the environment,

and Kodomo on Friday, which celebrates Children.

Pa and I learned about Golden week a few days ago, and its implications. Many businesses close, including banks. There’s a surge in travel - trains, buses, rental cars - and an increased demand for hotels, homestays, and even hostels.

We’d planned to visit Nagasaki this week, having reserved a room for five nights, one of just a few available. But discovered we couldn’t get there. So we considered Beppu, two hours from Hita, but couldn’t find a room for last night.

Fortunately, the kind folks at the Hotel Caffel Hina let us stay an extra day. We then found a hostel in Beppu for the next two, and an Airbnb for the following three.

“It’s all good” as the say. The delay gave us a sunny day to explore, which we took advantage of it.

After breakfast, an hour in the public bath, and a massage, we headed out with map in hand.

Hita is off the beaten path, and the streets relatively quiet,

even during Golden Week,

and on a Sunday afternoon in Old Town,

a two block stretch end to end.

Beyond it there’s a canal,

which we followed for a while until coming to a bridge.

You know how it is sometimes, when you cross a bridge,

and things appear different.

Black and white,

and shades off gray,

providing a clarity colors at times do not.

After a while we came upon a park,

a reminder of the grandkids, and the many hours spent there.

There was a stone statue,

that looked much like Freddie with his bib on.

And an altar with figurines

that Nora, Lorelei, Grace and Charlotte would enjoy.

Down the road, a school,

with a ballgame being played. Liam had a tournament this weekend. He’s quite good.

Beyond the school another park,

with a big black engine on display.

Oliver loves trains,

so I took a photo and sent it to him.

A few blocks later, children at play,

Nora

Lorelei

Oliver

Grace

Freddie

Charlotte

It seemed that the grandkids were all on the streets of Hita.

We stopped at the station to purchase our ticket for Beppu. Out front is a statue of Eden Yeage,

the hero of the animated epic “Attack On Titan”.

Eden reminds me of Liam,

whose birthday is today, and whom I’ve not seen since New Year’s Eve.

I’m sorry I’m not with him, but thankful for FaceTime,

so I could be at his party.