UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

I appreciate that this is probably tedious to you, the obsever.

BATH TIME.

A local sento (public bath house), containing scolding water too hot to enter.

TOURNAMENT.

One of my schools' footy teams (in white) progresses to the quarter finals with ease.

DRUM.

The local drum troupe conduct a dry run past our house.

THE SQUARE.

Mangled umbrellas and preparations for another festival in the town square.

THE MORNING AFTER.

One of a few victims of old Roke in the neighbourhood.

TYPHOON ROKE.

Definitely the strongest to pass through Tokyo in my time here, it shook the house.

B-BOY SCULPTURES & BASEBALL.

Complimentary tickets to the game following some sculpture culture.

DAYTRIPPERS.

A trip northwards to Ayato's family home in Mashiko, which was damaged in the
earthquake.  His father a celebrated sculptor, Ayato is a chip off the old block.

FOUNDATIONS.

The next step in building an earthquake-proof residence.

TESTING.

Light at the end of the tunnel as I conduct speaking tests in the corridor.

MORE MATSURI.

The 'mikoshi' being carried at a festival for kids Mai insisted that we attend.

THE WONDERS OF INDUSTRY.

The product, below.  Manual techniques alone would take an eternity.

HARVEST FESTIVAL.

Time to celebrate the rice harvest at the Ishikawa family farm in Utsonomia.

THE PLOT THICKENS.

A local plot of land has some footings rapidly laid.

NINTENDO.

There is only one country in the world where this picture could have been taken.

EXHIBIT B.

More of Ayato's work headlining in Ueno, with the 'Skytree' looming.

RESPECT.

The largest stretch of un-graffitied wall, anywhere, ever.