New Year Party!

We attended our local community's New Year party!
Usually, just my husband and I attend, but this year we were a party of six! We were joined by our second son and his wife (I'm still getting used to calling her that! 😆), plus our youngest daughter and her boyfriend, who are currently visiting Japan.

Our local community is quite small with only 15 households, and typically only one or two people from each family attend. Lately, with people getting older or being more health-conscious, fewer people drink alcohol, and while it's always fun, the parties usually wrap up early.

But this year was different! Thanks to the increased turnout (we definitely helped with that! 😂), we enjoyed delicious bento boxes and had a blast with a bingo game. Even after the official closing remarks, most people stayed to keep the party going.

In the end, it lasted from 11:30 AM until around 4:30 PM. With the drinks flowing, everyone was in high spirits and the conversation was buzzing. During the excitement, some locals told me, "Thanks to your family, Yoko, we had so many wonderful experiences last year." That made me so happy! 😍😍😍

But honestly, it's all thanks to the warmth of everyone in the neighborhood. It wouldn't be surprising if people felt like, "It's too much trouble," "I don't speak English," or "I don't want to deal with strangers." But instead, everyone stays so positive. Because of their openness, the guests staying at our place are able to have such wonderful experiences. It's truly a win-win situation. 🥰

The kindness and thoughtfulness of the people in Sasayama, combined with the beautiful scenery, really touch the hearts of our guests who are working hard in the city every day. It becomes a time of true healing and relaxation.

So, I wonder what kind of year this will be? I'd love to have many new encounters and see many returning faces...

It's only January, but we're already receiving inquiries for the spring break and Golden Week. We want to continue sharing the charms of Sasayama in our own unique style!

Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead.