Family visits!

We had such a great time hosting Nathan's Aunt Lynn, Cousin Alison and her husband James for a few days in April! They were in Sasebo at the tail end of their trip to Tokyo and South Korea and we were so happy they came all the way to Sasebo to see us. Japan seems like a small island country, but it is surprisingly spread out. It was no small feat getting here, but we were so grateful they were able to see the part of Japan that we've come to know and love. 

It was a little intimidating planning sites to see since Alison, James and Lynn are all such experienced world travelers, but we did our best to show them our area. We did have so much fun just hanging out at home and catching up. They made a run to our neighborhood bakery every morning, so it was nice starting off each day with a treat and some coffee.

Their first day here we had great weather and it was a whirlwind of activities. We drove an hour north to Hirado Island to check out the castle perched on a windy hill and had an awesome picnic overlooking the bridge to the island.

At Hirado Castle, there were so many blooming flowers. It was really lovely. Leo got a ride through most of the castle grounds from Alison. They were really sweet.

After the castle, we hustled back to Sasebo to catch the 99 Islands boat ride. It was a great day for a boat ride. The wind kept up, but the water was really clear and a gorgeous shade of blue.

That night, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Za Watami, to celebrate Nathan's birthday. We got rounds and rounds of great food. Alison and Lynn ordered a neat orange drink that required a little work.

The next day, we drove south to Nagasaki to see the atomic bomb site and museum. It was an appropriately gloomy day for the trip and we got a little soaked at the site. A highlight of the day was a hole in the wall lunch spot that we found just wandering around Nagasaki. There was no English menu and the owners didn't speak any either so we kind of pointed around the restaurant at other people's meals to order. It was wonderful!

Back in Sasebo Nathan surprised everyone with a night out to see the Sasebo Beatles on base. Everyone ended up having a blast! Alison's favorite songs were She Roves You and Ret It Be. Lynn kept waiting for Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand - her favorite Beatles song that was recorded in German. It was James' first live concert ever. Nathan was a little disappointed they canceled the Beatles Trivia portion, but he wowed the host with some knowledge and got to bring home some huge posters from the event.

For their last day in Sasebo, we headed up to the top of Mt. Yumihari for the view and to the tiny Log Kit restaurant near the base that is home of the famous Sasebo burger.

We made a final stop at Dazaifu on the way to the airport to do some last minute shopping and see some Japanese bridges and shrines.

Overall, it was a super fun few days with our visitors. We loved every bit of it. Thank you Alison, Lynn and James for coming to visit!