This is a story about an international couple raising and home educating three young boys on a small island in Japan, half living in buses, engaged in organic, self-sufficient farming in the middle of a mountain forest while dealing with climate, cultural, and personal challenges. These pages are about pretty much anything and everything all guided by our family motto, Taking Chances, Making Changes, Being Happy. Thank you very much for joining us on our ongoing crazy adventure.

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Home - Story - June 2014
Busy Day

June 1, 2014 - This morning we met the couple who are using our farms until we move in at the end of the Summer. Nice couple probably close to 70 years old.

Then we drove up north and looked at four fishing spots close to the house.

We went shopping and drove around looking for a place for Akiko to work.

Then in the afternoon we went to the white sand beach and found a really nice piece of bamboo and which we tied to the car rack and took home. We also found a nice piece of driftwood.
A New Way

June 2, 2014 - We drove up to Shimama to look at the fishing spots up there which the locals recommended as good for catching iwashi, saba, and aji. Actually took only about ten minutes from the house.

Then we came home and found an easy way to walk to the rock beach close to the house going past this beautiful property. Now can go to the fishing spot in about four minutes walking. We caught a lot of crabs and came home.

Then we went to town to look for a work place for Akiko again.
June 2, 2014 - Facebook Post - nice piece of take and driftwood from the beach today.
Stormy Day

June 3, 2014 - Typhoon like winds today made the surf pretty crazy. Was actually blowing bits of sea foam up onto the beach. Gave Shai a nice coiffeur.
June 3, 2014 - Facebook Post - Nice coiffure compliments of the gale force winds today. climbed up on the sand dunes. sea foam on the beach. mega waves from storm.
Wedding Anniversary

June 4, 2014 - Spent our wedding anniversary away from each other for the first time this year. Really sucked and I missed Akiko very much today although I would not let her know this. lol.

Was not really motivated to do anything and decided to get all the vines our of the flower bed next to the wall in front of the house.
June 4, 2014 - Facebook Post - Spent this afternoon getting to the root of the problem....literally. Got rid of a bunch of vines pending a flower garden along the road. Definitely getting a lot of street credit with the locals thanks to all this work. WTF it rained like about a foot in 24 hours.
Surfing the Internet

June 5, 2014 - Began the day with the discovery of a suzumebachi hive under the outside laundry room patio. Oh no not again. This turned out to be an old an abandoned hive though.

They said is was going to be impossible to get Internet at our house due to the distance from the NTT station. Moral of the story....do not take no for an answer. Since the Internet is very important to this family for our work, I told Akiko to pay the set up fee and give it a shot. After setup it worked perfectly, even for streaming videos, albeit too slow for Akiko to work.

Then in the afternoon we went to the white sand beach and our usually private play spot was loaded with surfers again. A beautiful day.
Street Drains

June 6, 2014 - Decided to get a little more street credit with the neighbors and work on the street drains which obviously were not touched for many years.

Then we went to the white sand beach as usual.
Rock Beach

June 7, 2014 - This morning we walked all the way to the end of the rock beach close to the house. Really interesting geology in this spot.

Then in the afternoon we went back to the same place for some fishing and I caught a fish.
June 7, 2014 - Facebook Post - Spent this morning at the rock beach collecting crabs for bait. Then went fishing this afternoon. Drove up to an onsen. Came home again and ate. Now listening to music and drinking beer and relaxing. Found a bunch of seaweed on the rocks.
New Buddies

June 8, 2014 - Finished up some farm work in the morning. Then received a lot of sweet potatoes from one of the neighbors.

Shai played with his new buddies who live down the street. The older boy is Kose, 5 years old, and the younger boy is Takeru, 3 years old. They played with sand toys in the driveway and ran around in the street.
Rock Beach

June 8, 2014 - We went once again to the white sand beach but this time we walked all the way to the wall and walkway at the end of the beach.

Still wondering what this picture is of something built into the hill.
Work Place Found

June 9, 2014 - Went into town to look for a place for Akiko to work once again. Akiko said there was nothing and the real estate agent said there was nothing. Again, do not take no for an answer. Previous trips into town were to take pictures and it was obvious there was tons of vacant buildings and rooms. There must be at least a room.

I decided to begin knocking on doors and as it turns out the first place was a Japanese style hotel with a very kind elderly owner. She said there were a few rooms available. And they said it could not be done. hah.

Then in the afternoon we celebrated by going to the....you guessed it....the white sand beach. Another beautiful day.
Rainy Day

June 10, 2014 - Basically was pouring rain today and we stayed home.
June 10, 2014 - Facebook Post - A rainy night and already finished eating. Hitting the beer and maybe wine a bit early tonight. Really looking forward to chatting with some of you again. tanegashima mixing the old and the new.
Work Place Confirmed

June 11, 2014 - Went back again to the Japanese hotel and talked with the owner about the rooms. She showed a couple of them one of which was really nice. We went back again in the afternoon to check the Internet speed. Turned out to be good enough although we still plan to get our own connection. The owner gave lots of desserts to Shai and even though we already ate lunch pretty much forced us to stay and eat somen with her and a couple of family members.
Busy Day

June 12, 2014 - We went as usual to the white sand beach and saw incredible waves today. There were a lot of surfers.
June 12, 2014 - Facebook Post - Really almost like a typhoon in this place tonight. Brought some California Cabernet from the mainland and drinking and listening to some Bossa Nova and relaxing with a background sound of the ocean and wind tonight. Hey waves were really incredible at the beach close to this place today.
White San Beach Deja Vu

June 13, 2014 - Anyone counting the number of times white sand beach was mentioned on this page. Hey when your little 4 year old is forced to spend a few weeks away from his mommy really important to do what he wants every day.

Today was very different. There were almost no waves. Compared to the mega waves the day before this was almost like a completely different beach.
June 13, 2014 - Facebook Post - completely different beach today small waves and really nice.
Collecting Seashells

June 14, 2014 - Another day walking and collecting seashells at the white sand beach. We are trying to categorize and learn about each type of shell now. This is a really good science classroom.
Daddy Day

June 15, 2014 - Spent much of today at the white sand beach again. Today though we walked all the way to the next river which was about a three mile roundtrip adventure.

We found a lot of interesting geology. We also found a lot of velella washed up on the beach. These are basically little jellyfish looking creatures.
Rock Beach Again

June 16, 2014 - We tried to go to the white sand beach but it was raining. Then in the afternoon we went to the rock beach close to the house and collected seashells.
Mega Storm

June 17, 2014 - We tried again to go to the white sand beach today but it was raining. Towards the afternoon and especially at night there was torrential rain and thunderstorms.
June 17, 2014 - Facebook Post - REALLY CRAZY OUTSIDE TONIGHT - Now incredible wind and rain. This is like a typhoon. Now drinking wine and no music and enjoying this natural sound. Tanegashima is a really beautiful place. ROCKING OUT WITH SHAI TONIGHT - Really stormy outside and rocking out with my son tonight. Brought the speakers from home and listening to some good music tonight. RELAXING WITH THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT - Lots of rain and thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight. Really looking forward to chatting with some of you again.
Waves and Caves

June 18, 2014 - Next day after an incredible storm and the waves were everything you would expect. Apparently the surfers knew about it too since there were many.

We went on our usual three mile roundtrip walk to the next river. Today we found something cool, a cave. Definitely when we come back in a couple months it would be really cool to explore this.
June 18, 2014 - Facebook Post - favorite beach after a storm.

June 19, 2014 - Facebook Post - a little rain at favorite beach today.

June 22, 2014 - Facebook Post - crazy waves - found a jellyfish today - went to favorite beach last time today - We found a small cat in the middle of the main road and brought it home. No way for us to keep it. Hopefully kitty is gonna be okay from now. We went out for lunch at a really nice restaurant in Minamitane today. Tons of food and cheap prices. raining like crazy today.