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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Adventure Begins

- The beginning of our island adventures.

Picture - Us getting ready to work in the upper farm.

We arrived at Tanegashima a little before 10 pm on August 31, 2014. We were exhausted from the trip to the island thanks to traveling in our little kei car with two dogs, a cat, and much of what we own stuffed into every crevice and piled high on the roof of our ride. That said, we were still very excited to be in our new home.

This month basically consisted of setting up the house and getting Akiko working again in her new room at the ryokan, most of which was not posted....boring stuff. We did manage to find plenty of time for fun though, especially at our favorite white sand beach.
Busy Day

- This was a very busy day on the island. We began with a trip into town. Then we did a bit of work on the property and then headed off to play at the beach.

Picture - Us hanging out together at Maenohama beach.

Picture - Home - Our stuff in the closet.
Picture - Home - A huge spider outside.
Picture - Minamitane Town - We went to the Daiwa onsen.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - A picture of the menu 1.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - A picture of the menu 2.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - All of us together.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - Shai is drinking juice.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - A picture of a menu set 1.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - A picture of a menu set 2.
Picture - Somes Building Supply - We went to the building supply store 1.
Picture - Somes Building Supply - We went to the building supply store 2.
Picture - Home - Shai working on the trees in the front of the farm 1.
Picture - Home - Shai working on the trees in the front of the farm 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 3.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 4.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 5.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 6.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 7.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - We went to the beach with the dogs and played in the river 8.
Stuff Came

- Today the stuff we sent from Nara arrived at our island house. A bit later in the day a repairman came to reinstall the utility line which blew off and into a tree.

Picture - Utility line hanging.

Picture - Home - Our stuff was packed in these containers and then sent via ferry to the island and then to the house.
Picture - Home - More and more continued to be unloaded from the truck.
Picture - Home - How many ________ (fill in the blank) does it take to unload a trunk? In Tanegashima the answer is four....people. lol.
Picture - Home - A utility line blew into the trees this week because of the wind.
Picture - Home - Putting the line up again proved to be a bit of a hassle as it was also hanging in the adjacent yard.
Piled Up

- Now our stuff was all piled up in the space next to the entry. We also began working on getting rid of the tree in the farm next to the driveway.

Picture - Our stuff piled up.

Picture - Home - Our stuff piled up 1.
Picture - Home - Our stuff piled up 2.
Picture - Home - Began working on the tree 1.
Picture - Home - Began working on the tree 2.
Picture - Home - Began working on the tree 3.
Picture - Home - Began working on the tree 4.
Beautiful Sunset

- We watched a beautiful sunset from fishing pier number 6 in the Nishino district of Minamitane town.

Picture - Us with the sun setting behind Yakushima.

Picture - Home - A nice bunch of bananas.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Us with watching a beautiful sunset behind Yakushima.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Shai making a funny face in front of the sunset.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Another beautiful sunset picture 1.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Another beautiful sunset picture 2.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Another beautiful sunset picture 3.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - A picture of the moon taken with an iphone. lol.
Shopping and Playing at the Beach

- We headed up to the city today for some things you can only find up north in Nishinoomote. Then we spent the afternoon and Maenohama beach again with the doggies.

Picture - Nishinoomote - We went to the Yamada electronics store in Nishinoomote to purchase a router for Internet access in the house.
Picture - Nishinoomote - The closest thing you will find to an American strip mall on the island, located in Nishinoomote.
Picture - Nishinoomote - A hyakin or 100 yen shop stocked with many of the products you would expect to find at this kind of store.
Picture - Nishinoomote - This is what a 100 yen store looks like. Basically tons of stuff for the equivalent of a U.S. buck.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - Another visit to our favorite restaurant, Jinanbou, in Minamitane town.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - An absolutely gorgeous picture of our dogs playing at the beach.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A huge sandbar formed on this beautiful beach. Again nobody except for us.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A beautiful picture of the beach 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A beautiful picture of the beach 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A beautiful picture of the beach 3.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A beautiful picture of the beach 4.
- Facebook Post - within a few minutes a mega thuerstorm came to the beach
Tanegashima Parking Rules

- This is our car parked on the sidewalk in "downtown" Minamitane while visiting, the now closed, and formerly our favorite fishing store.

Picture - Car parked on the sidewalk of "downtown" Minamitane.

Tanegashima has very strict parking rules. Basically you are required to park, um....pretty much anywhere you want.

The locals basically park anywhere including the middle of the main roads to use the phone and occasionally park on both roads and talk.

They park on the sidewalks and at strange angles and occasionally actually use the designated parking spots. lol.

Picture - Home - A lot of mold in the closet.
Picture - Home - The laundry room floor all messed up.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice view of the beach.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Parking on the sidewalk.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The building where a community meeting was held today.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Us hanging out together at the community meeting.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A group of the neighbors at the community meeting 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A group of the neighbors at the community meeting 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A group of the neighbors at the community meeting 3.
Fishing at Shimama Port

- This was actually our first time to go fishing since we moved to Tanegashima. We decided to go to Minamitane west coast fishing pier number 1, which is also Shimama port. Today was kind of cloudy and a bit rainy but warm.

Picture - Shai showing off his fish.

Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Us fishing at the port.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Us fishing at the port.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Shai was really happy to catch the first fish. An Indo-Pacific Sergeant fish.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Another view of the same fish.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - We kept taking pictures to make sure.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - This is probably the best picture of Shai and showing the stripes of the fish.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Another picture of the port 1.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #1 - Another picture of the port 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice picture of the beach 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice picture of the beach 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival directions to the beach.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival a poster for the festival 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival a poster for the festival 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival us hanging out together 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival us hanging out together 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival the venue.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival a group of girls performing.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai hanging out.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival us hanging out together.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing in the playground.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Tahitian performance.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival a group of girls performing 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival a group of girls performing 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival another performance.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing in the playground.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival another performance 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival another performance 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing in the playground 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing in the playground 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival the full moon tonight.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing in the playground.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival the full moon tonight.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing on the slide 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival Shai playing on the slide 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival the nighttime crowd 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - The full moon music festival the nighttime crowd 2.
Return to Work, Fun at the Beach, and Fishing

- Akiko returned to work but this time in her new room at Kiku Ryokan in Minamitane town. Me and Shai went to Maenohama beach with the doggies. Then in the afternoon we went fishing at the pier close to the house. The same evening a beautiful full moon was high up in the sky.

Picture - Kiku Ryokan - This was actually the first day for Akiko to work in her new room at Kiku ryokan in Minamitane town.
Picture - Kiku Ryokan - Akiko is now really busy at work again.
Picture - Home - The laundry room floor all messed up 1.
Picture - Home - The laundry room floor all messed up 2.
Picture - Kiku Ryokan - We wanted to give Akiko a little support on her first day back to work and decided to eat lunch together.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Really nice picture of me and Shai at the beach 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Really nice picture of me and Shai at the beach 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Shai was pretty much running around half naked and going crazy with the dogs.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Shai certainly likes to pose for pictures.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - A couple of really cool dudes getting ready to spend a few hours fishing.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Yup Shai caught a couple of fish at the same time on a sabiki.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Shai caught a couple of Bigeye Trevally which are like Aji and really good to eat.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - This is a nice picture of me and Shai fishing.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Shai likes to go fishing.
Picture - Home - The full moon was high up in the sky above our Nishino house in Minamitane town.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice picture of the beach 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice picture of the beach 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A nice picture of the beach 3.
- Facebook Post - Tonight is tsukimi and really beautiful.
Moon Above Minamitane

- Another night with a beautiful full moon on the island.

Picture - Minamitane Town - Beautiful sunset over Yakushima.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The moon was almost full as it ascended above "downtown" Minamitane.
Dogs Eating Fishing Bait

- Yup our dogs found an open package of Kibinago, small bait fish, on the beach at Maenohama Seaside Park. A lot of the locals fish from the coast and often use this kind of bait.

Picture - Maenohama Beach - These guys knocked much of entire package and then one of them threw up all over the back of the car.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - They finished pretty much everything.
Nodogoshi and Mamushi

- Actually nodogoshi, which usually goes for about 714 yen on this island (very expensive) was on sale for 580 yen. Really loaded up without realizing this sale comes up every week.

Picture - Home - The only farm tools needed for farming 1.
Picture - Home - The only farm tools needed for farming 2.
Picture - Home - The only farm tools needed for farming 3.
Picture - Home - Whoa certainly looks like the refrigerator of a bunch of college students at a dormitory. lol.
Picture - Home - This is a very poisonous pit viper in Japan and was found in the upper farm today.
Okonomiyaki Restaurant

- We went out to eat at Yasu Bei, an okonomiyaki restaurant. The food is really good at Yasu Bei and about the same as prices you would expect to find on the Japanese mainland. The beer is usually 500 yen but get there before 7:00 pm and pay only 200 yen for your first glass..

Picture - Home - The kitchen wall all messed up.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - This is another of our favorite restaurants in Minamitane town.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - Shai really likes the food at this place.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - This woman is the owner of the restaurant and is making okonomiyaki and also owns a hair cutting place.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - Yup this is an okonomiyaki pancake made to look like anpan man, a famous cartoon character in Japan.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - The okonomiyaki pancakes really look as good as they taste.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - This is a picture of the front of the menu.
Picture - Yasu Bei Restaurant - This is what can be ordered at this restaurant.
Farming, Beach, and Fishing

- After a couple of weeks on Tanegashima, we were finally ready to do some farming. We once again went to Maenohama beach in the afternoon. We began collecting a lot of driftwood for decorative use in the house and around the yard. We spent much of the afternoon playing around in the sand. This particular day was really interesting as the tides and storm surge piled up a huge sand mountain.

Picture - Shai getting ready to slide on a sand mountain.

Picture - Home - The kitchen all washed up 1.
Picture - Home - The kitchen all washed up 2.
Picture - Home - This is us standing in the upper farm in front of our house.
Picture - Home - Same scene different picture.
Picture - Home - This is a small joke mimicking a corn flakes package from many years ago with a miserable looking old couple on the front.
Picture - Home - Same scene different picture.
Picture - Home - With all of the essential tools in hand, now we are finally ready to work in the farm.
Picture - Home - Same scene different picture.
Picture - Home - We are finally busy working in the farm making farm beds.
Picture - Home - Same scene different picture.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - This interesting piece of driftwood was found at the beach 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - This interesting piece of driftwood was found at the beach 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - This piece was a bit blackened and resembled a face 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - This piece was a bit blackened and resembled a face 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Shai likes to throw around these floats, which look a lot like orbiting satellites 1.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Shai likes to throw around these floats, which look a lot like orbiting satellites 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Hanging out together.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - I decided to post this picture too since Shai looks really cute. Nice smile little dude.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Shai getting ready to slide on a huge sand mountain.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - A little bit of mental preparation.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - And a successful slide.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Made it all the way and was still standing.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Who is da man.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Nice pose.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - This was a really nice day for fishing but there was not much biting. Shai caught a trevally.
New Chair and Dog Meeting

- Akiko at work showing off her new chair. The doggie made a lot of new friends at the beach.

Picture - Kiku Ryokan - Akiko posed for a moment showing off her new office chair.
Picture - Kiku Ryokan - Akiko back to work again. Whoa this chair really does work.
Picture - Home - A new toilet seat was installed today 1.
Picture - Home - A new toilet seat was installed today 2.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Today some guy showed up with four dogs. Was nice to see Einstein and Copernicus making new friends.
Picture - Maenohama Beach - Then we went home and the dogs did a few more sniffs of each other and said see you again.
Putting Seeds

- Shai putting seeds in the upper farm.

This is a fantastic activity for kids. They get to spend time outside and learn the importance of growing your own food.

Shai is also learning that farming is not always easy. He really does not like to pull weeds. lol.

He is also learning the meaning of hard work and the benefits you receive after a job well done.

Picture - Home - Shai putting in a few seeds.
First Sabbath

- This was actually our first Jewish Sabbath on Tanegashima. Kind of guessing this might also be the first time Sabbath candles were lit on this island. lol.

Picture - Home - These Sabbath candle holders were actually made at the old house back in Nara.
Entry Room

- The entry room was all washed up and ready to use now.

Picture - Home - The entry room all washed up.
Sports Festival

- Today was the annual Minamitane Town Sports Festival.

Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival poster 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival poster 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival poster 3.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival us hanging out together.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival Shai hanging out.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival us hanging out together.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival Shai hanging out with a friend.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 3.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 4.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival nice view.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 3.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 4.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 5.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 6.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival building.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival venue 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival a competition 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival us hanging out together for lunch.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival the lunch.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Annual neighborhood sports festival the venue.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the guys sitting together 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the guys sitting together 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the girls sitting together 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the girls sitting together 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the neighbors sitting together.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the food 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the food 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Sports festival after party the food 3.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Us hanging out together with the neighbors 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Us hanging out together with the neighbors 2.
Dog Gate

- Made a dog gate out of bamboo sticks

Picture - Home - A new dog gate.
Rosh Hashana Japanese Style

- This was actually our first Rosh Hashana holiday on Tanegashima.

Certainly is interesting for me to be doing this sitting on the floor on tatami mats. Go figure.

Shai likes all of the holidays, of course.

Growing up with a variety of cultural and religious influences has not only been fun for him but has really opened up his mind.

Picture - Home - A nice bunch of bananas.
Picture - Home - All together celebrating the Rosh Hashana holiday 1.
Picture - Home - All together celebrating the Rosh Hashana holiday 2.
New Wall

- A new wall was being built in the farm.

Picture - Home - A new wall being built 1.
Picture - Home - A new wall being built 2.
Veggie Store, Jinanbou and the Rock Beach

- We went to the local veggie store today. From there we went to our favorite restaurant. Then we went to the beach close to the house for some fun.

Picture - Minamitane Town - This is the town vegetable store. This really small place sells vegetables which are locally produced.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The produce selection is a bit limited and really depends on the time of day as well as the season.
Picture - Jinanbou Restaurant - We went early and there were no other customers and a good chance to take a nice picture.
Picture - Minamitane West Coast Pier #6 - Shai spent a while turning over rocks in search of anything cool, especially crabs.
New Friends

- Today a couple and their son showed up at our house. Me and Shai were busy working in the lower farm. The couple came up and were surprised to find our house was already rented. Apparently the house was still online and listed for rent. We talked for awhile and then made plans to meet a couple of days later.

Picture - Home - The son in their camping car.
Picture - Home - This is the camping car they were using for their travels in Japan.
Picture - Home - The dude is a surfing instructor and these are a few of his boards. His wife is a yoga instructor.