[SgtBeavis]

I lived in Japan from 1991 to 1993 as a soldier in the US Army stationed at Camp Zama.

As much as I enjoyed my stay there, I would have to admit that I didn't experience nearly enough of what Japan had to offer. That became blantantly obvious when I finally traveled back there last March. It isn't that I didn't do anything off base, it is just that I had two whole years and I didn't do nearly enough. When I met my future wife, things changed a lot as I went all over the area between Zama and Tokyo. Unfortunately that was during the last three months of my tour.

Fast forward to last March. My wife and I went back to visit her folks. Miyako gets to go back home about once a year while this was my first time going back since 1993. My wife made did a very good job of making sure I got to see a lot of Japan for the one week I was there. We went all over Tokyo, Yokohama, Odawara, and Hakone. I even enjoyed myself when venturing around her parents home in Hokone.

We have already set plans for a two week trip next year. We hope the cherry blossoms will cooperate this time as we travel to Osaka and Kyoto for one week. I'm going to treat my In Laws on that portion of our trip. I figure it would make a nice gift for them.