At my father’s family home, they sleep on ”FUTON" laid out on tatami mats instead of beds.
My grandmother and my father are preparing breakfast.
My grandfather eats two meals a day. In the morning, he has a large bowl of rice, miso soup, and some side dishes. In the evening, he eats a small amount of side dishes and enjoys a drink every night.
My grandmother wears a straw hat for outdoor work, a towel tucked underneath to catch the sweat.
My grandparents take care of their vegetable garden every day, whether it’s hot or cold.
The vegetables grown in my grandparents’ garden are large, fresh, and healthy, and they always taste purely of the vegetables themselves.
My grandfather takes a one-hour walk every day.
My grandfather is tending the bath fire.
At my father’s family home, "SUKIYAKI" is made for family gatherings. "SUKIYAKI" is always done by the men.
"SUKIYAKI" is mainly seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. In the Kansai region, "SUKIYAKI" has more sugar compared to the Kanto region. At my father’s family home, they also add a lot of sugar to "SUKIYAKI".
My cousin, who is one year older than me.
A family portrait of two generations in front of my grandparents’ lush green rice fields, just before the autumn rice harvest.
In Japan, every family has a "KAMONN" (family crest). In the past, houses displayed their own crest. My family’s crest is "Maru ni Tsuzumi"(Circle with a drum).
Older Japanese houses often have two entrances:
One for the family, “UCHI-GENNKANN” (inner entrance),
and one for guests, “OMOTE-GENNKANN” (guest entrance).
This is “OMOTE-GENNKANN”.
