冬

As the vibrant reds, oranges, and golds of fall fade into the dull greys and browns of winter, a small part of me is relieved that this will be my last winter in Japan.  Not because I am ready to leave – there is still too much to see and experience in this amazing country – but because winter in Japan, like winter everywhere, is best spent with family and friends.

 The days grow shorter.  Darkness comes earlier and stays later.  The color seems to bleed from the world.  Outdoor adventures become fewer as the weather gets colder and more sullen.  This year the change is more acute since I am living alone.  No coffee and mumbled ohayous while darting across cold wood floors.  No hot, homemade soup waiting after a dark and freezing commute home.  Not even a heater I can program to come on before I get home.  Just a cold, dark house.

 If I were Japanese – or living in a Japanese house at least – I could look forward to lazy days snuggled under the kotatsu, eating mikan and napping.  If I were in America I would have warm, fuzzy puppies, my favorite winter foods, holiday celebrations, and central heating.

 The days will pass, though, growing slowly warmer and brighter.  I have a visit from Anata to look forward to, end of year school parties with coworkers and friends, and indoor adventures I have been putting off.  The weeks and months will slide by, probably faster than I want, and I will soon be looking back wishing for more time.  Just a few more weeks of winter so my time here can last that much longer.

 However, I have not reached that point yet.  While I am excited about my winter plans (especially my Christmas visit) I am already looking forward to Japan’s second most beautiful season – Spring.  Perhaps it is by design that the melancholy months of winter separate the two most colorful seasons – a chance to cleanse the mental palate to better appreciate the colors and excitement as the world returns to life.