Today was a great day. Skiing in the morning, Japanese food for dinner, and Onsens with beer in the evening. Onsens (next to lots of cool electronics and cars) are one of the greatest inventions of the Japanese. They’re essentially volcanically fed hot springs that are usually up in the mountainous regions of the country. The only catch: Everyone is naked (although usually they’re not co-ed). During my younger days growing up in Japan we used to go weekly to one that had a waterslide…kind of funny to think now what the Japanese men thought of the pasty white American boys going down the naked waterslide. Anyhow, there is nothing quite like a hot onsen in subzero snowy weather and a beer. I’m sure Jeff and Jonathan are realizing now why I’m so weird (yes, I do like hot naked japanese baths…I admit).

(My brother and I at an Onsen in Nagano)