We work almost as hard as we play

We've been here and there, doing this and that, this past week. Monday and Tuesday we spent in Nagoya (about 35 minutes from Kyoto Station via bullet train). There, we visited the Nanzan Institute for Religious Studies so that we could familiarize ourselves with their resources (including an amazing library) and meet their staff. We were hosted by James Heisig, a prominent scholar and editor of world religions and philosophy, as well as language (he famously wrote "Remembering the Kanji," which we had checked out of Middlebury's library for months), and stayed in the institute's community house. We were given an office to use during our time there (good for naps while the adults did boring reading, J thought), which is pictured below.

We also visited our friend K, who is studying there this term, and her advisor, with whom we had a delightful French lunch. J's favorite part of our trip was coming home. He's not a big fan, yet, of research institutes and French cafes.

Since then, S has been finishing up his classes. Pictured below is his last (unofficial) class meeting at Kyodai.

We've been wandering around our neighborhood recently, and have found many interesting things within just a few blocks of our apartment, including a Buddhist temple (which we can see from our window) and a small inari (fox) shrine. And yes, that is a parasol I am carrying. It's hot here, OK?

J has been working hard, too--at the department store playland, the wading pool at the children's park, and wherever else he can find little kids and a little freedom from his boring adults.