When we first got to the park, we noticed teenagers dressed in suits and wearing sunglasses, walking briskly through the park. They appeared to be searching for someone. When I went on a run a little later, I saw a group of the teens in suits standing around and chatting with kids in plain clothes. As I continued running, I also saw some some of the boys in suits chasing other kids in plain clothes. That's when I realized that they were playing some kind of mafia or cops and robbers tag game. They had dressed up to look like yakuza (Japanese mafia) expressly for the purpose of playing this game of tag. Only in Japan would teenagers dress up (or "cosplay" as my sister would say) to play tag at a park!
The other thing that happened to us later while we were sitting in the park. An older Japanese lady came up to us and began talking to us in English. She was wearing an Atlanta Braves t-shirt and was very excited to tell us that she had been to America. She told us about how her son was born in America and how her daughter currently lives in Georgia. She saw Kris's Kanji workbook and asked him about what he was learning in Japanese. After a few minutes, she continued on her way.
About 30-40 minutes later, she came back. This time, she had a bag of snacks that she had bought from the local convenience store to give us! She brought us orange juice, American cherries, and a chocolate snack. She pointed out to us different Kanji from the snacks and what they meant. It was so sweet! Gift-giving is a huge part of the Japanese culture, so we invited her to sit with us and share the snacks, but she couldn't stay. I am often blown away by the kindness and helpfulness of the Japanese people. This story is just one time out of many that I've encountered that kindness.
