I'm back in Japan for the first time in a while and I've been looking forward to catching up with a whole bunch of old friends.

While I'm in Tokyo, I'm staying with a 親友(shin'yū, close friend/bestie), and catching up with another 親友 if she can get the time off work. In fact, most of my time here will be spent catching up with 友達 (tomodachi, friends) and 仲間 (nakama, companions) from when I used to live here.

My first reunion has been put together by a 親友 named Masa. I meet up with him at Asakusa Station and am greeted with a big "久しぶり!" ("Hisashiburi!" "Long time no see!") upon arrival. I ask Masa who he has been able to dig up from my past stint in Japan for our impromptu 飲み会 (nomikai, drinking party) and he mentions one person, Mayumi, whom I haven't seen in a decade.