Due to my working schedule I could only get 3 days off, the rest of the time I spent with them was late at night. My fiancée Yuuri was able to take some time off to spend with them and was first to meet them at the train station and make sure they got to the hotel. I was able to take a break soon after their arrival and we all went to Coco Ichiban for some curry. It was good to see them, they both looked very well and pleased to be in Japan. This was their first meeting of Yuuri too and I was glad to see them getting on so well.
I was worried what they may have thought of Yuuri. I know she is a wonderful person but my parents might judge her worthiness to be with their son (as all parents natrually do). I also thought Yuuri might judge my parents attitude and make comparisons with mine. They are from very different backgrounds with very little experience of each others cultures. Even now, for me, it's very hard to deal with some Japanese customs and understand why they exist.
I knew my dad would try and be very charismatic and crack a few jokes and my mum would be very friendly and open but both wouldn't know how far they could go or how it would be perseved. Luckily Yuuri is a very friendly person who loves people and has an ability to warm the mood.
Here my dad took many pictures of his journey with Yuuri and the family.
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| Dads Pictures |
After meeting my parents I showed them round my apartment and we had a few drinks together. I took them to Aspam and we could see from the top all over Aomori. They liked the town, it was much busier than they expected with a sea of cafes and restaurants as well as multiple department stores.
Later that night came the big even of my family meeting Yuuri's family. Yuuri's family don't speak much English and they are typical Japanese. I say typical Japanese because I think Japanese people who study English have an interest in western life style and have an idea of what to expect but most other Japanese people have no need to do this.
We sat at a long table, I was centre and to my left was my dad and to my right was my mum. Opposite me was Yuuri in her kimono, opposite my dad was Yuuri's dad and opposite my mum was Yuuri's mum, at the end sat Yuuri's younger sister. We ate Japanese food in a very traditonal Japanese restaurant in a private room. My dad was very nervous, carefully watching other people before he attempted to try something. My mum was a bit worried about the food, especially regarding the raw fish. Both of them talked through me when they wanted to ask something to Yuuri's family but they didnt know how to ask.
(This is what I call translating English to English which I seem to do a lot in Japan but more on that another time)
We talked a little, showed some photos and had a fun and enjoyable evening. We were all very grateful to Yuuri's parents for meeting with us and we exchanged some gifts. Then we took the photos.
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| From Engaged |
Yuuri's family
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| From Engaged |
This is my favourite because you can see Yuuri's father put his arm round me which is not usual in a culture that don't touch. Yuuri's father is said to be very strict but to me he has been very welcoming and cooperative, for what must be very difficult for him.
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| From Engaged |
Yuuri and my family
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