It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

On January 9th, I was on the road again, taking a quick jaunt back to Colorado, and I couldn't have picked a better day to travel. Mostly clear skies, 50 degrees, and beautiful young ladies everywhere.

Now, before you run and tell my wife what I just said, let me say that she was once one of those ladies. Wait a minute, that didn't come out right.
I meant to say that about 20 years ago....

Nope. That's no good. Hmmm.... Let's back up on that one.

The 2nd Monday in January is Seijin no Hi (Coming of Age Day), when 20-yr old Japanese celebrate becoming adults by attending ceremonies in their hometowns in the morning, then going out in the evening to drink (legally) with friends or heading to the karaoke studio.

The young men wear suits or hakama (a kind of kimono pantalooon) with a tunic. But the young ladies are truly elegant - their hair is styled, pulled back/up and decorated with colorful accessories, then they don gorgeous, colorful, flowered kimono with ornate obi belts and wooden sandals.












My train to Osaka was filled with young ladies heading to Kobe or Osaka to meet friends and head out on the town. Sure beats drunken salarymen.




(Kinda looks like a scene in The Bachelor, that movie with Chris O'Donnell, doesn't it? "Aaauuugghhh! They're chasing me....")







Oh, and FYI - my wife is still gorgeous in a kimono (or blue jeans, or whatever).





Where's Wally?

;-)