Yagi-san visit (day 1)

If you have been talking to me at all in the past month, you must be knowing that my friend from Japan is visiting me for three weeks.  This has been a big focus for us for the past few weeks.  First, let me review how I met Yagi-san.  I was in Tokyo in April 2007 for a work meeting.  I was on the subway and this older gentleman set next to me.  I tried to speak some Japanese to him, but I do not think I said it correctly.  He says, “I would prefer it if you spoke English to me.”  So we talked a little and ended up exchanging email addresses.

We kept in  touch via email.  Then my family and I visited Tokyo in July 2007.  We all went to his house and got to meet his family.  And we invited him to come to visit us.  That is now happening.

I have been trying to plan his trip.  You can see the wiki page where I have the latest plan at: http://www.gadgetnate.com/wiki/index.php?title=Yagi-san%27s_visit_in_March_2008

Today, Christopher and I picked him up at the airport:

We came home and met my mother-in-law and father-in-law.

We chatted a bit, and then he took a nap.  So, I thought it would be good to go back to work.  Later that evening, Stephen played the piano for us.

Yagi-san brought us all gifts.  I got a learn Japanese book.  Hopefully I can work on it while he is here.  Then we all sat down and had dinner together.

Yagi-san bought some very good green tea.

And some berries… I will have to get the names later.

And he brought some sochu, which we will have to try this weekend.

After eating, Stephen played Shogi.

Then I tried playing shogi and learned the Kaku Gawari defense:

But it wasn’t enough… I lost two games: