The Land of the Rising Sun

The Little Miss Haponesa Chic was what I started calling myself during high school to college. It was plainly because I adored Japan very much. The first ever country that I visited in my whole life was Japan. I not only visited but lived there for months with my Dad who was studying at Tokyo University at that time. On February 28, 1989, I made my first visit to Japan with my Mom and stayed there for 30 days until April 14, 1989. I was turning two years old at that time. My second visit lasted for 1 year, 1 month and 18 days from March 15, 1989 to May 3, 1990.

At Narita Airport

Oh, hello Daddy!

Tito Hide (:

Tito Hide with Paul (:

Once in our lives, we called it "home."

Explorer

One thing that made these trips significant was my 3rd birthday in Japan. I just realized right now that my love for the number 23 might have something to do with these trips. I arrived at the age of 2 in Japan and left at the age of 3. It is just a thought. I'm very particular with numbers (and even dates). ;)

Even though I could hardly remember everything in those trips, the absence of pictures wouldn't make the memories remain as alive and essential as they are to me today.

Japanese people make good church friends,

awesome friends,

friendly neighbors,

and fun playmates.

Japan made me sing. ((:

I wrote this blog to remind me that my visits to Japan are a huge part of me. It actually influenced my personality now which involves a huge fascination for almost all Hayao Miyazaki's or Studio Ghibli movies, some Mangas that I've grown up with, numerous gaming programs that I've played with my brothers, comedy shows, comic art, Disney, trains, a little of Japanese fashion and style, Japanese language (even though I've never learned), Japanese dogs, and not to forget the Japanese people whom I've met since my childhood and to those Japanese students I am still talking to up to this day (thanks to my job). Because of the stories of my parents about our stay in Japan, I recall that it was indeed a beautiful country with beautiful people. Whenever I look at these pictures, I see myself as a happy innocent kid exploring one country apart from my own and savoring every single moment of it.

I fell inlove..

with trains! (:

Disney baby

Despite the disastrous events that happened recently to this beautiful country, I believe that God promises its beauty and restoration. It will still be as beautiful as we all remembered it to be. God is merciful and He is a Restorer. If He takes away something beautiful, He definitely has something even more beautiful in store. We just need to believe and trust Him.