At 3:50 a.m. I woke-up, and immediately recognized that I have a serious defect: I set alarms, but never have the chance to use them because I naturally wake up before they go off. It is the oddest quirk, especially considering it doesn't matter what time I go to sleep or decide to wake. This morning was even more bizarre because I managed less than two hours of sleep last night - surely there is an ingrained function to acquire enough rest? Even so, as I grabbed my dirty laundry and headed down to the washing machine on the ground floor, I passed Maki-san working away on her laptop computer. I made a couple cups of coffee, and joined her at the kitchen table as I mimicked her work ethic.

The house began coming to life at 5:00 a.m. as my mother joined us for breakfast - fresh fruit and pastries. I rushed to take care of all the last-minute chores, such as watering the plants (inside and on the roof), taking care of Niko-chan (the only cat I will ever like), and packing for the next six days. By 5:55 a.m. we were heading out the door, and soon thereafter we caught a taxi to the Monorail station near Shinagawa Harbor.

On the train to Haneda Airport, I was GENKI (feeling active and healthy) for the first five minutes, and then fatigue (and sleep) set in. The next thing I knew, we were at the end of the line, disembarking at Terminal 2. I was probably drooling all over myself for the ride, much to the amusement of my mother.

Our ANA flight landed in OITA (大分), on the southern island of KYUSHU (九州), at around 9:15 a.m. The flight was only one hour or so, which is paradoxical in that it demonstrates how small and large Japan is depending on one's perspective. For example, a one hour flight is not even enough to fly from Miami, Florida to the nearest state, Georgia. Yet, a one hour flight in Japan, or even a 30 minute flight for that matter, is like entering a whole new world. Such is the magic found in the "land of the rising sun."

We were met at the airport by Mutu-san and his wife, who is a friend of Maki-san's from her university days, 30+ years ago (she will probably poison my food for giving such hints as to her age). Our group for the weekend numbered 11 people in total, and it was basically a reunion for Maki-san and three of her friends from university: Mutu-san, Yoshiko-san, and Sai-san.  Sai-san's husband and their two daughters, Juna-chan (21) and Meina-chan (25), also came along for the weekend, as did Takumi.

We spent the morning touring the OITA area, but a strong mist and drizzly weather prevented us from seeing much. Well, that and the fact that I passed out in the backseat of the car, waking only for lunch and when Takumi woke me to point something out, such as Mount Aso (an active volcano)... With such uncooperative weather, we changed out touring plans in mid-course so that we could visit ONSEN and relax.

The first ONSEN we went to was designed by a Tokyo University professor who is famous for his captivating architectural style (his unique style should be obvious from the background of the photo the right). The highlight of this ONSEN was not only the architecture, but also the carbonated water. This was my first experience in a "bubbly" hot spring, and although the water was only moderately warm in temperature, the unique feel will have me coming back in the future - it was like taking a bath in hot San Pellegrino!

Afterward, we walked around the nearby town, where Japanese men wearing YUKATA (浴衣, or traditional men's kimonos) spend the day going from ONSEN to ONSEN. It was as peaceful a town as one will ever encounter and there were even public hot baths speckled in nooks and crannies. Fortunately, Mutu-san and his wife live in Oita, and were able to act as our guides (and drivers) for the weekend. They pointed out a variety of things we would have otherwise missed out on, such as the public ONSEN (shown below) that was built in the middle of a running river. If we had more time, I would have loved to give it a try, although only after the cleaning man finished his work.

The next place on the agenda was the Kokonoe Yume Otsuribashi Suspension Bridge, which at 390 meters in length and 173 meters in height is the longest footpath suspension bridge in Japan. It was built in 2006 at an enormous cost, but it has already attracted over 2 million visitors (at 400 yen/person), so it appears as if the investment is quickly being recovered. I could feel the bridge shaking slightly in the wind, but it felt stable enough to endure far more severe weather; only time will tell how well it withstands earthquakes. Nevertheless, the views from the bridge were amazing, which is why it has become so popular with tourists.

It was nearly 4:30 p.m. when we hopped back in the cars and set off to check into our hotel for the evening. Sai-san's husband is the head of the Entertainment Division for Morgan Stanley in Japan, so he arranged a number of unique experiences that would not have otherwise been possible. For example, we were staying in the Royal Deluxe Suite at an ONSEN-styled Ryoukan (旅館, or Japanese inn). In our suite there were half a dozen rooms, a kitchen, an amazing 15 meter wide balcony, and even a hot tub. After putting our bags down, Takumi and I immediately changed into the YUKATA provided, although I had to call down to the ground floor to request the largest size in stock, which still ended up being slightly small for me.

Dinner was served at 7:00 p.m. in a private room while we all sat on TATAMI mats. There were three hostesses who stayed with us the entire time, refilling glasses of beer/NIHONSHU/SHOCHU and bringing out dish-after-dish (over a dozen in all). The traditional-styled meals are one of the biggest highlights of staying at a Japanese Ryoukan - they are included in the price, while the food, presentation, and service are of the highest standard.

After finishing dinner, everyone was feeling the effects of alcohol, but no one wanted to call it a night so early. So, we moved the party up to our room on the top floor, buying party snacks (soy sauce-flavored chips, KAKIPI, sweets, dried fish, etc) and ordering more alcohol in the process. The party broke off at around 11:00 p.m. to leave time for everyone to have one last trip to the ONSEN downstairs, which closes at midnight. With a small hand towel in hand, I de-robed and entered the men's only bathing area. I sat on one of the showering stools to clean myself with soap and shampoo, and then headed for the sauna with Takumi. We rotated between the sauna and the ice-bath every 10 minutes, discussing our business plans for the future all the while. Lastly, I headed outside and sat underneath one of the ONSEN waterfalls while relaxing in the hot bath. Heavenly, and it made sleep easy to come by later that night.