So… We’re Going to Japan

Well, this wasn’t on the bucket list.

Not that we’re complaining—we’re excited—but if you had asked us a year ago to list dream destinations, Japan would’ve ranked somewhere below “finally organizing the garage” and “maybe learning to play pickleball.” Then our son Holden landed a summer internship in Tokyo, and just like that, Japan catapulted to the top of the travel charts.

So here we are: passports ready, flights booked, and our front porch buried under a steady stream of Amazon boxes. Hoss, our ever-vigilant rescue dog, now treats every delivery like a national security threat. The UPS guy no longer makes eye contact.

Holden’s already in Japan, winding down his internship and, if we’re lucky, getting ready to serve as our unofficial guide. Jen’s been in full travel agent mode, orchestrating temples, trains, and food tours with the precision of a NASA launch director. And me? I’ve got my trusty Brooks sneakers ready, camera gear packed, and the quiet thrill of dusting off my old Penn State journalism degree to chronicle the whole adventure.

Garrett’s staying home with Hoss and a well-stocked fridge, and we’re fairly confident they’ll both survive the stretch without us (with occasional text supervision).

This blog is our way of keeping friends and family in the loop—with stories, photos, mishaps, and maybe the occasional heartfelt moment. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be real. And probably a little funny. And definitely filled with sushi.

Thanks for following along. The story begins soon.