A quick last visit!

I know you've probably had enough of all these family photos but I have to record our last visit with Takumi and Julieta.

We actually hadn't planned to see them again when we took them to the station on Monday but after the big news of Takumi's proposal, Tetsu wanted to get together with the two of them again and we made plans to go to Tokyo to have a celebration dinner.

The two of them had spent a few days on the northern island of Japan and then had gone to Tokyo to visit the Ghibli museum and another unusual museum.  They said they were free on Sunday, the day before they were leaving Japan and Tetsu and I considered driving the three hours, or taking the trains, another couple hours...  We had John to consider too...  could he ride with us in the car for that length of time?  The vet suggested leaving John at home and that 8 to 10 hours in his circle wouldn't hurt him.

But!  Takumi messaged back that he and Julieta still had a day on their Japan Railway passes which is a HUGE savings for foreigners when they visit Japan.  They could take the Bullet Train at no cost to and from the city next to us and so Tetsu and I let them do the traveling and we took them out to lunch on Sunday in OUR part of Japan.

 We went to a shabu-shabu restaurant.  I think Julieta-san is happy to be engaged!

 All you can eat shabu-shabu which was a first for Tetsu and me. 

The different meats were brought in these stackable boxes and we ate A LOT!!!

We heard a lot about their trip to Hokkaido and about the proposal.  We heard about their adventures in Tokyo and the unique shops and restaurants they went to.  Tokyo is such a different world from the small town of Nikko where I live.  We briefly talked about wedding plans but since Julieta had only accepted Takumi's proposal a few days before, EVERYTHING is still open to consideration!

This is NOT the engagement ring.  Since we were going to see the two kids again I immediately went to a Pandora shop in the next city a few days ago and picked out a charm for Julieta.  She had said that Takumi had bought her a bracelet a few months ago and so I thought she should have a charm from her future mother-in-law and also to commemorate her trip to Japan (as if an engagement ring isn't enough!).  I chose a Mt. Fuji and cherry blossom charm that can only be bought in Japan.

 After lunch we did a bit more shopping...

And then dropped the Takumi and Julieta off at the station again.  This time for sure it was good-bye until maybe a reunion in the States?

We just got messages from both kids saying that they had arrived safely back in Los Angeles and thanking us for a good time.

"Thank YOU" I thought for giving us so much to be joyful about this trip!