New year in Japan is about refreshing yourself for the coming year. You visit your local shrine and ring the bell and say a prayer. We went to one but the line was so big that we did not hop in it. On New Years Day the children get money from other adults who are not their parents. Usually their grandparents give them the money. They will get something between 200 dollars up to 1000 dollars - amazing. They save the money or spend it, it is up to them what to do with it.

It is winter here but the winters are sunny days with the coldness of the South Island, so not too bad at all. We had snow one day and it iced over our car.

We drove to Hiroshima between Christmas and New Year. The highways over here have a speed limit of 50kmph, so it took a long time. We stood in the place where the bomb had dropped. I thought I knew about the Hiroshima bombing but when you actually go there is a lot more that you don't know.

Hiroshima

We are off to Hong Kong in March to the rugby sevens, so we will have photos of Hong Kong. We are also off to Kobe which is a bigger city in Japan for recontracting and then to Osaka for a visit to a friend.

Osaka trains

I read the internet news everyday on the nzherald site so I will be following along with the Americas Cup.Today I actually have a lot of work to do so I will get off and catch up with you later on. Keep in touch.

Arohanui,

Mrs Luke.