HOLIDAY RAMBLINGS

Today is a holiday in Japan. It is called Coming-of-Day Age or Seijin no hi. Although young adults reach the legal age on their 20th birthday and from there on are entitled to vote, allowed to smoke tobacco, purchase alcohol etc, and have all of the rights and responsibilities of adulthood, local governments hold special ceremonies on "Seijin-no-hi" to mark the rite of passage.

The age of 20 is a big turning point for Japanese people. The ceremonies are supposed to encourage those who have newly entered adulthood to become self-reliant members of society. (The holiday used to be on January 15, but in 2000 it was moved to the second Monday of the month.)

The only other thing consistently highlighted in the news each year is the steadily falling number of participants each year. Japan's birthrate is continuing to fall and the population is expected to peak during the next 3-5 years before beginning its decline.

source: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_24.html

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Remember those bananas we bought the other day? Well, we already consumed a bit and I was pleased to know that although the peelings were a bit browned, the bananas themselves were still firm and deliciously sweet. =D It really was a good buy.

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Ethan has eaten all the bread and we are now out. We have to go to the supermarket again later to buy more. He really loves those soft breadsticks. They are soft and creamy. Not all the bread here are to my liking. Some are too dry or tasteless or too crumbly. I can't even spread peanut butter without the bread crumbling in my hands. Sigh. Where is my pan de sal?

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According to my countdown meter, we have 49 days left before we're going home to the Philippines. It kinda makes me sad because we will be separated from Ruther again. But on the other hand, it will be great to be home once more. Sigh... I guess I just have to hope Ruther comes home to us very soon.