TOMO II
Soon after I returned from Japan in 2007, 13 of my Japanese friend came to visit California on what we called the Tomodachi Tour. Tomodachi means friend, and so the term fit perfectly. For my first party in Japan, I reunited with the friends who joined me on this tour.
We met up at a kushiyaki restaurant. I call this “stick food,” because everything, whether it is fried, grilled or fresh, is served on a stick. We had a party at this restaurant before…it’s actually one of my favorites. As always, the beer was fresh and the food delicious.
The members of the Tomodachi Tour were not only eager to see me, but they were happy to have an excuse to get together themselves and catch up. Most everyone brought their photo albums. We all enjoyed reliving the trip, the funny moments, the favorite places and special events. Hands-down, the favorite part of the trip was the BBQ at my parents house. I’m so delighted I could give them that opportunity. I remember how tiny little Noriko and Tomomi ate everything…the hamburgers, the hot dogs, the chicken, the salads…they had to have a taste of it all. And Yomamura listed this as his #1 memory in his album.
Their favorite city was also San Diego. We visited San Diego, Los Angeles, and with half the group, Las Vegas. Yomamura, with the most wonderfully designed photo album, kept a bottle of sand he took from Coronado. A prized possession.
As we chatted through the evening and caught up with one another, I fell back into a rhythm which suits me so well. I was surprised how easily my Japanese returned to me. How even though I was the only foreigner in the group, I was one of them. That’s how I always felt with my Japanese friends. I never felt different. I always felt I belonged.
As the beer went down and the happy times relived, we began talking about a second tour. We decided we would once again visit San Diego, but then also San Francisco and Seattle. We could call it the cities which start with S tour, but instead, we landed on TOMO II. And Tomomi, who has decided she wants to get married at my parents house, particularly like the name, because if the tour becomes her wedding TOMO covers her name and II (2) represents her and her future husband. So there we have it. TOMO II is in the works!
The photo above was taken at the end of the evening. I loved seeing this group of friends and having this be the kick off enkai for my stay! TOMODACHI are good!!!
This photo was taken during the Tomodachi tour in 2007. Disneyland was a must!!!
Tags: celebrations, family, friends, travel
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