Tina’s Dreaming and Awakening

Last night I had a dream. I was wearing stockings with pre-painted toenails, that I saw a few days ago on the internet as the latest craze in Japan.  Only in these stockings, I was running around and trying to catch the sushi that was flying all over Tokyo, with my sweep net, as on the picture I found yesterday night. You cannot believe how happy I was.

When I woke up, I realized how much I miss Japan, although it passed only 10 days.

Japan has clearly captured something in my imagination that has inspired me to want to stay there longer. These things are small, cause pleasure is easy.

I am missing iriai no kane, kind of like a town clock. After the bells that were once rung at temples as the sun began to set each day, many towns and villages in Japan use their old public address systems to play a short jingle early each evening as a way of telling the locals that the working hours are done and it’s time to head home (well, for me it has that purpose). Where I used to live, traditional music used to play at 5:00 p.m. every single day. This is the kind of endearing little piece of Japan.

I am missing the silence after sunset. There was hardly a sound in my neighborhood, just occasionally distant clanging of the train crossing.

I am missing listening to “Dolly’s Dreaming and Awakening” during my lunch with the kids, and I am missing their beautifully made little lunch boxes. I am missing them also, as they were my best teachers. They taught me how to speak Japanese without making me feel guilty for all the mistakes I made, and they didn’t let me give up. They taught me a lot about Japanese manners and a lot about Japanese culture. They taught me how to enjoy simple moments, and a lot of interesting and quite detailed facts about sharks, ladybugs, and flowers.

Such small believers. Not just about Santa, but also in their own power. And my power. Of course, I promised I will wait for them to grow up. Then we will all be like Momotaro. We gonna fight all the demons together. Even now they do have a speaking dog, monkey, and pheasant. Why wouldn’t they? No one has ruined bliss-based thinking for them yet.

They also taught me that everything can be interesting. Especially butterflies, stones, dirt, and sand. They just opened the door to my wild creativity and unlimited optimism.

Okay, it’s time to wake up. Let’s continue…

I am missing matcha. Anything matcha makes Tina happy.

I am missing a lot of delicious sushi pieces and my tradition of going to karaoke after a lot of sushi. Oh, karaoke…..

I am missing hanami. I felt I could write Haiku the whole day while enjoying hanami.

I am missing sake, such an unusual taste in the mouth.

I am missing the oshibori – a Japanese moist towel that every restaurant, pub, a cafe in Japan has been providing.

I know I always talk about Japanese toilets, but I just LOVE them. I knew I will miss them the most. I just go mad about them, and I enjoy marveling at their futuristic toilets with their water jets, heated seats, and the sound of applause that plays each time (OK, the last one is made up, but it’d be cool, no?).

I am missing Japan.

An orgy of joy.

A madness attraction.

Playing in the sun.