was so happy to see the We Are One Market in kitakami standing so strong. brilliant design and pretty much the only building standing for miles. it’s a sign of hope, a sign of passion, and a sign of moving forward. what an amazing accomplishment Naomi-san!

it’s fall in tohoku and the mountains are so colorful. on the drive there and back, i was in awe at mothers beautiful nature!

Kiku-chan is a survivor. one of the strongest people i’ve ever met.

going up on the hill overlooking ishinomaki is a routine. been up there on our 8 times and you can see in front of you the progress, or no progress. i’m just wondering if they are going to rebuild this part of the city or not.

the other side of ishinomaki is looking great. new roads, new buildings, and things are looking clean.

omg, i don’t watch tv anymore so i didn’t have a clue what happened in the philippines. i just watched CNN now and seen a tsunami hit the village!!! that wasn’t a typhoon, it was a tsunami! a 14′ wave surge is like a tsunami and i’m super shocked right now. OMG!

want to thank Saito-san for driving most of the way back to tokyo. the long 6 hour drive as we were both super tired from last night. last night was a total blur to me but all i remember was having such a great time. leaving ishinomaki is always hard for me but this time, i left with a big smile because i know everything will be ok. yeah, it’s taking a long time, but little by little, fishing villages are rebuilding and so are the people. i know i’m going back again and again and i know each trip will be better and better.

i just came back from an amazing dinner meeting with my team. this is called Motsu Nabe shinjuku style! so good! thank you Ryosuke and Hikaru for taking care of my tired body and brain.

then i heard of the Standard California Night Market! the shop opens late at night as customers come in to drink and eat free food, shop, and mingle. what a great idea Akudo-san! it’s something i had to check out.

pick up a beer, eat some food, and shop. it’s always good to see my friends store doing so well.

cool store and cool people. Hikaru, Akudo-san, and Ryosuke are all cool!

riding the trains around tokyo is so convenient. this is japan and it works well. but in hawaii, a train will not work and i wish they stopped building it. it’s going to ruin our paradise and will cost too much to build and maintain.
it’s 9pm and i’m going to sleep. a much needed sleep as tomorrow will be another long day moving all around the place. good night

Tokyo, Japan