Japan holds a very special place in our hearts, as Jona and I met and were married there nearly fifteen years ago. We lived in Gifu, in Central Japan, between Tokyo and Osaka. It's considered the countryside, as it's at the foot of the Japanese Alps, but, in reality, it's at the very edge of the metropolitan sprawl that seemed to radiate out from Tokyo, as far as the eye can see. During our time in Gifu, we built a nice life with a circle of friends that felt more like family.