good morning 4am. yes, still jet lag in my body and it’s all my fault for watching 3 movies instead of sleeping on the airplane coming to japan. when i fly home tonight, i’m going to try to sleep as soon as i get on the flight. i have a busy day tomorrow in hawaii so i better be wide awake. have to run around town doing things followed by a big celebration party tomorrow night for my niece. but for now, i’ll just toss and turn in bed waiting for the sun to come up. have breakfast, go shopping, and then catching a flight to fukuoka. it’s been a long 3 days here but i’ve had so many great experiences. in fact, something happened to me in tokyo that i’m still in disbelief. i’m either dreaming or something but once reality sets in when i get back to hawaii, i’ll probably run down kalakaua avenue screaming my head off just like how a guy would do if he just won the lottery. but for now, it’s just too surreal to me.

there is an island off kobuchihama where there are more cats than humans. and since matsu and toco-can love cats, kimura-san had us jump on his boat and we crossed the channel to Neko Island. riding on the boat exploring the deep culture in japan is amazing. to see the seaweed, oysters, and nori growing is amazing. life is back!

there are less than 70 people living on this island with the youngest resident being 55 years old. and the myth is that there are more cats than humans.

when we got off the boat at the harbor, there were no cats around. then once we walked up the mountain, they all came out. cats everywhere! big fat healthy ones!

these cats use to hang out near the harbor eating the left over fish scraps but ever since the tsunami, they never came back. now they hang out up on safer ground. i forgot the island name but if you are a cat lover looking for a cool place to get away from the rest of the world, this island would be perfect.

i just wanted to say Merry Christmas to Kimura-san’s 2 beautiful daughters Shiori-chan and Miho-chan. seeing these 2 girls smiles yesterday brightened up my day.

and if you seen what i’ve been eating in these past 3 days, you wouldn’t like me. in fact, i don’t even like myself. so i’ll just keep it a secret for now.

and the signs of the tsunami are still everywhere. i remember pulling up to this parking lot in kobuchihama in april 2012 and seeing this HELP painted huge in the parking lot. it’s still there today and it reminds me that there is a long road ahead for some people in japan. a road that we will follow forever. We Are One!

All you can eat fresh Abalone sashimi from Oshika Hanto for lunch and dinner. So good!!!!

day 2 here and it’s freezing cold. when i get back to hawaii, i promise that i will never complain about hawaii being cold. if it wasn’t for my heat tech underwear, i’d be frozen. i’m wearing the same clothes everyday as i learned from backpacking SA that’s the way to travel. i always freak out when i hear of japanese tourists coming to hawaii for only 2 or 3 days. i sometimes think that’s crazy. but now my thoughts have changed. i’ve been here for only 2 days and what i already experienced is priceless. every time i leave hawaii, my life changes. this 3 day trip made me realize that it’s not the days spent abroad, it’s the experiences you make out of it. so the next time my japanese friends come to hawaii for 2 or 3 days, i’m going to help them make it a trip to remember. cheers.

these are my 2 Japanese Superwomen! Ryoko-san and Naomi-san are 2 of the strongest women i’ve ever met. it’s a long story how we all met, but life is so amazing on how bad events can create great friendships. these women will be a part of my life forever.

last night was an amazing night. we all got together in ishinomaki and had dinner. some of us are surfers, fishermen, office workers, flight attendants, wetsuit makers, electricians, and photographers. but we have one thing in common, “WE ARE ONE.” to my Tohoku friends and ONE members, last light meant a lot to me. a lot of people ask me why i still go to tohoku. here is my answer. i come here to see you all. i’ve met you right after 3/11 and back then, i couldn’t smile. i was heartbroken and totally devastated. and ever since then, i could see the smiles and joy come back slowly. we are almost 2 years after and it touches me to be able to sit down with you, joke, laugh, and even share tears at times, i’m so happy to have met you all. you have all changed me life and made me a better person. i appreciate everything i have, and everything i don’t have. you give me power every time i find myself feeling down. i want to work harder, i want to be happier, and i want to live my life to the fullest. you are like family to me and i love you all! gosh, i better stop before i start crying. We will Always be One! And I will always be back!