After our big travel loop around southern and western Honshu, (see the last FOURTEEN posts previous to this one for more details on that… Yes, I said fourteen… it really was that big of a trip,) we settled back in Tokyo for a bit, before packing an overnight bag and heading out to Kamakura. Because we have such amazing friends, they let the four of us stay in their apartment that night, by the beach, with the most beautiful view. (Honestly, aren’t our friends THE BEST?!) As anyone who follows my blog or talks to Sammy and I will know, we adore Kamakura. It almost feels like our home away from home and, if it wasn’t for stupid logistical reasons, we would up and move there any day. So, it felt really special to be able to take a couple of days to show Ellen and Michael this corner of Japan that is so close to our hearts.
We have been really blessed on this trip, from the cherry blossoms to our perfect Fuji view (see that blog post here if you have not done so already, because the clear skies were INSANE). Our stay in Kamakura was no exception. I planned many opportunities for Ellen and Michael to see Fuji, because it is so rare to get a clear day, so to get not just one clear shot of Fuji-san, but TWO during their time in Japan, just felt beyond incredible. Sammy and I must’ve been to this spot in Kamakura to watch the sunset nearly fifty times, and we have never seen one so clear and beautiful as the night we took my sister and brother-in-law. All of us were stunned in awe. I am just so thankful for these memories together because I know they will be ones that last a lifetime.
I didn’t really plan what we were going to do in Kamakura. I found cafes and places Ellen could eat, and I knew we’d want to take them to the main shrine, shopping street and big Buddah— possibly also Enoshima—but I didn’t have a schedule or anything. Because we know the area well, we know what trains to get and whatnot, we just decided to wing it. That is why, when Ellen suggested to me at the start of the trip that we look out for matching rings and I realised I could take her to a workshop in Kamakura where we could make our own, we didn’t have to worry about itinerary or anything. It took us almost an hour to pick a style, but luckily we both have similar taste and enjoy simple yet beautiful bands.
The men went to a coffee shop nearby and had some time, just the two of them, whilst Ellen and I helped each other make matching silver rings. It’s funny that I’d say help each other, when really what I mean is Ellen helped me because I just could not get my head around what I was supposed to be doing. Put it this way, as the autistic sister, when the jeweler explained we had to hit the band with a hammer, but with no extra details about why or how, I didn’t put the pieces together that it had to be not so gently that it doesn’t do anything, but not too hard that it makes the ring deformed. I also didn’t pick up at the fact the hammer had diagonal grooves to make the design, so I should have probably ensured the lines were always going in the same direction so the ring ended up neat and beautiful like Ellen’s, but I really didn’t understand the subtle differences without them being pointed out later on. To contrast, Ellen channeled her inner blacksmith and connected to the task instantly from the get go. I, on the other hand, was just enjoying participating. At the start of the workshop, we were asked if we wanted to make each other’s rings, or make our own. I soon realised why Ellen was set on making her own… she made the right choice for sure! I did my best though, and like the men said when they saw our masterpieces, mine is for sure one of a kind. To give them the final finishing touch, we got both rings engraved with matching inscriptions inside. It was a beautiful thing we did together, and now we can wear the rings every day and think of each other, even when we are thousands of miles apart.
For the rest of the time we were in Kanagawa, we ticked off the other things I mentioned earlier that we wanted to show Ellen and Michael. The day was warm with blue skies, but it was hazy, so we didn’t get to see Fuji-san from Enoshima. However, that wasn’t a problem given the sunset we’d seen the day previous. We had been blessed more than we ever could have imagined, so none of us were disappointed.
That evening, we unexpectedly ended up staying a second night at our friends’ apartment, despite not having the change of clothes and things with us to do so. It was the best decision because after such a long day, the last thing we needed was to be catching a late train back to Tokyo. We settled down in our pjs and channeled our inner children by putting on Disney’s Treasure Planet after cooking ourselves a quick make-shift tea from whatever we could grab from the local pharmacy/store. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
After our trip to Kamakura, Ellen and Michael headed to Saitama for the day to see the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. Michael was of course in his element, considering he is a pilot and avid plane enthusiast, but once they were back they just had one day left in Tokyo to go up Skytree, meet our friends at their cafe and for us to show them a bit around our area. We showed them the local bird watching spot with all the nesting cormorants, herons and egrets, took them to our local shopping mall where we got a bubble tea and one of our classic 100yen/50p 5 minute massages, before helping them get ready to leave. It was sad to see them go, but we all were grateful that we’d had the amazing time we had. We couldn’t be too sad when we had done and seen so many incredible things. As our lives have been very separated, particularly for the last decade and a half. Before this trip around Japan, we’d never had a holiday together abroad (other than the 3 that we took as infants to Ibiza, Spain and Tenerife, which I can scarcely remember). After this trip, we are all sure this is a new beginning of the four of us. We’re so excited to see where the next adventure takes us!
