日本のお正月の決まり：凧揚げ。天気は晴れていたしいい風があったので息子達を千曲川に連れて凧揚げしました。お正月で旅館の方が忙しかったから外の空気が吸えて、気持ちよかったです。ただ、その空気がもうちょった暖かかったら嬉しいです。耳が凍りそうでした。（ちなみに、アメリカは凧揚げの時期が大体6月です。日本はどうしてこんなに寒い時期でやるでしょうか？）

In Japan, it's tradition at New Years to fly a kite. It was a sunny day, and a nice breeze, so I took our sons down to the banks of the Chikuma River with our kite and sent that puppy flying with the birds. A hawk even soared in to get a closer look at our purple and gold kite.
After being so busy with our inn the last couple of days, it was a relief to go out and get some fresh air. I just wish that air were a little warmer -- I practically froze my ears off. (For the record, kite flying back in the States is usually a June endeavor. Why did Japan pick such a cold season for flying kites?)

戸倉上山田温泉の亀清旅館のHPはこちら。Click here for the website of Kamesei Ryokan in Nagano.