Come this September I will have lived 37 years in Japan : 10 in the Tokyo area ; 21 in the mountains of Aso county where , yes , there is Mt. Aso an active volcano , and 6 years in our new house here in Kumamoto City . I was destined to live , and die , in Japan . I really believe that . It’s been one heck of an enjoyable ride for the most part . Our only child - a daughter - and her husband are both high school teachers in Kumamoto Prefecture so they’ve got it made in the shade . As mentioned in another post , she gave birth to a boy last August .
It takes a certain type of westerner to actually live there, IMO. I really liked the place but I could only stay for so long before coming home to recharge.
Btw congratulations on the new addition, granddad!