Wednesday In Japan. . . memories

I have been in an introspective mood lately.

Many reasons but maybe age is playing a huge part.

So this is a repeat from 2010

Hope you enjoy the updated post.

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On a trip to visit Japanese son, 

who at the time was living and teaching in Sanda, Japan.

I came to realize how much I loved Japanese Vending Machines.

Sanda is about 35 kilometers beyond the Rokko Mountain range from Osaka.

This is a big agricultural area known for Strawberries and the famous Kobe Beef.

It is about a hour train ride into Osaka through some of the most beautiful mountains, 

tree covered tunnels (each tunnel has a name) to bridges over rocky crystal clear rivers.
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It is a visual heaven to this desert dweller.
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Sanda is a commuter family town that has a vibrant city area and train station.

I lived out in the countryside so I had a charming but very tiny train station.

Next to the train station, there were fields of rice and vegetables along both sides of the road that I walked to get to my apartment.

You rarely see a plot of land that is empty in Japan. 

If it is flat there is always something growing on it from rice, vegetables or flowers.
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Very late one evening  after we left the lights of the train station, parking lot and taxi stand and a few late night riders, it was just daughter and I walking down a very dark and quiet road. There were a few homes and street light by where we lived to the right

but it was very dark and quiet walk.

So quiet that I swear I could here the rice growing in the field next to me.
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Then right before me glowing in the dark standing all by itself next to an electrical pole and the rice field was a soft drink vending machine. 

Softly glowing in the dark all by itself,  just standing there lighting our way.

I came to really love seeing that vending machine on those late night walks home.

I miss that walk. 

I miss that vending machine and I can't believe I never took a photo of it.

But I remember it all, like I was just there.

Walking down that road over the stone bridge and stream again late last night.

So strong is the feeling that I swear can hear the rice growing once again.

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I never took a photo of the vending machine at night
or the hilly area right where I was living.
But the photo above does look like the hills at night near where I walked.

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memories. . . parsnip

Music. . . A Place We Must Return To,  OST Final Fantasy
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As I read this memory I feel that I should have known there were
 Totoros and a Catbus guiding my way home,
right there in the rice fields and wind above me.
Magical is all I can say