Over the last few years, Joanna and I have been trying to recognize and appreciate the time we’re able to spend with our parents. We’re really fortunate that both sets of parents are healthy and that we moved to a house about 15 minutes from them so we see our families pretty regularly. The only times we seem to go on family trips are when a family member passes away and we have to travel for a funeral, so we decided to prioritize our families this year and take them on a vacation to create some cherished memories together.
Leading up to this trip, I knew that we’d be nearing the beginning of the Sakura cherry blossoms season in Japan. I’d check the peak blossom forecast every once in a while and it would look like they would be in full bloom at the end of our trip, then maybe not, then maybe yes again. It’s just really hard to nail down a date that’s weather dependent when you’re booking things 6 months out.
https://i0.wp.com/loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/IMG_2662.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500Andrewhttp://loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Logo-v3-300x138.pngAndrew2025-03-25 12:52:192025-03-26 15:26:16Trying to See Cherry Blossoms is a Moving Target
Joanna and I had a shopping list of things to get while in Japan for ourselves and our friends and family but didn’t want the hassle of carrying stuff from city to city. The plan was to use the final 2 days of the trip to stock up. The project manager in me tried to optimize our time by consolidating all the shops we needed to visit into groups so that we didn’t have to spend so much time moving from place to place.
Rice is planted around this time and harvested in October. Ryoko-san said that they like to plant their own rice later because it tastes better. They grow enough for themselves and their guests to eat. If there’s any extra, they’ll sell it locally. One rice stalk is the equivalent of one bowl of rice.
https://i0.wp.com/loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PXL_20250321_005356868.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500Andrewhttp://loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Logo-v3-300x138.pngAndrew2025-03-22 11:15:432025-03-22 11:15:43Entering the Last Leg of the Trip
One of the must-do activities while in Miyazaki is to visit the Takachiho Gorge. I had mentioned this to Ryoko-san when we checked into our place where she mentioned that the boats needed to be reserved ahead of time. This totally saved our butts because Thursday was a local holiday so naturally all of the boat reservations were taken from 9am-5pm except ONE at 11am. SO LUCKY!
https://i0.wp.com/loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PXL_20250320_024701432.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500Andrewhttp://loosyourselfabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Logo-v3-300x138.pngAndrew2025-03-21 08:32:312025-03-21 08:32:31Fresh on the Boat
JaTran Trip 2026
JapanOver the last few years, Joanna and I have been trying to recognize and appreciate the time we’re able to spend with our parents. We’re really fortunate that both sets of parents are healthy and that we moved to a house about 15 minutes from them so we see our families pretty regularly. The only times we seem to go on family trips are when a family member passes away and we have to travel for a funeral, so we decided to prioritize our families this year and take them on a vacation to create some cherished memories together.
Trying to See Cherry Blossoms is a Moving Target
JapanLeading up to this trip, I knew that we’d be nearing the beginning of the Sakura cherry blossoms season in Japan. I’d check the peak blossom forecast every once in a while and it would look like they would be in full bloom at the end of our trip, then maybe not, then maybe yes again. It’s just really hard to nail down a date that’s weather dependent when you’re booking things 6 months out.
We shopped ‘till we dropped
JapanJoanna and I had a shopping list of things to get while in Japan for ourselves and our friends and family but didn’t want the hassle of carrying stuff from city to city. The plan was to use the final 2 days of the trip to stock up. The project manager in me tried to optimize our time by consolidating all the shops we needed to visit into groups so that we didn’t have to spend so much time moving from place to place.
Entering the Last Leg of the Trip
JapanRice is planted around this time and harvested in October. Ryoko-san said that they like to plant their own rice later because it tastes better. They grow enough for themselves and their guests to eat. If there’s any extra, they’ll sell it locally. One rice stalk is the equivalent of one bowl of rice.
Fresh on the Boat
JapanOne of the must-do activities while in Miyazaki is to visit the Takachiho Gorge. I had mentioned this to Ryoko-san when we checked into our place where she mentioned that the boats needed to be reserved ahead of time. This totally saved our butts because Thursday was a local holiday so naturally all of the boat reservations were taken from 9am-5pm except ONE at 11am. SO LUCKY!