> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.novaugust.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Holidays Part 6, Nostalgia Road - URL: https://blog.novaugust.net/holidays-part-6/ - Published: 2012-01-23T11:54:54.000Z - Updated: 2012-01-23T13:58:09.000Z - Author: Matt Enlow - Tags: corgi, post, flowers, osaka castle, Photo Journal, sword, the holidays japan, Tohoku Journal, vacation, 神戸女学院大学, 門戸厄神駅, #Import 2026-06-21 14:43 This post ended up being a walk down nostalgia road, which is fitting, as that's pretty much what it was like visiting Gary. So, a lot of the photos are from a few years ago, but hey, pretty is pretty. The last leg of my holiday play was to meet up with my great good fantabulous friend Gary in Osaka. He and I met in the summer of 2009 when we were both in the same trip to Japan. Of all the people who went, I think we're the only people who ended up coming back, let alone living here. # Gary and Matt, sitting in a tree [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0747_zoom-470x600.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0747%5Fzoom.jpeg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0747%5Fzoom.jpeg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) We had our share of crazy nights when we got back to Laramie, some of which are best not spoken of. However, nights where you don chainmail and hold a sword threateningly at a camera definitely don't fall into the "best-not-spoken-of" category! [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Epic-2-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Epic-2.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Epic-2.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) So, Gary and I met in Japan, fell in love, and didn't see each other for quite a while when he graduated and moved to Japan to be with his fiance, Mona, who we had also met on our first trip to Japan. I went back to Japan this summer and wasn't too far from Osaka, so we got together a few times over the summer. # Kobe College Past Now, since I was back in Kyoto visiting my [host family](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/2012/01/holidays-part-5-%e5%be%a1%e7%af%80%e6%96%99%e7%90%86/?ref=blog.novaugust.net "Holidays Part 5, 御節料理"), Gary and I had set up another date. I stayed at his place for a night or two, had a great crab dinner at his fiance's folk's place (where I was sure to talk myself into a hole), went to a manga museum, met up with other friends from the area, and all sorts of things. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0395-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0395.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0395.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0259-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0259.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0259.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) The thing that really sticks out in my mind was going back to where it all started, Kobe College. Going to this place changed my life - I started studying a language, which might not sound like much, but is actually a huge chunk of my time. I'm also living in a foreign country and will be for another eight months. I had no such ambitions before going to Japan that summer of 2009\. Gary can say the same - he's engaged to a student of the school, Mona, that he met back in that summer. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0261-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0261.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0261.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) So, we hopped on the train. The first wave of nostalgia struck just getting off at Mondoyakujin station (門戸厄神駅). The old neighborhood, though I'd only lived there for just over a month, was still fresh somewhere in my mind, and I had no problems navigating back to the college. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN1452-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN1452.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN1452.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) # Kobu-chan Along the way though, I ran into an old friend and local celebrity. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0387-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0387.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0387.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) Whoops, wait, not that frog. How'd that happen? I meant to show you this guy: [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0948-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0948.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCN0948.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) Errr, maybe I should share a less compromising photo of him. Don't want this going on the tabloids! [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Kobu-Doesnt-like-the-rain-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Kobu-Doesnt-like-the-rain.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Kobu-Doesnt-like-the-rain.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) Anyways, Kobu was outside with his owner when we went by on our way to Kobe College again. I also chatted with her just a little bit, and it was neat to know that she remembered me from two and a half years ago. # Kobe College Present Kobe College was as I remembered it, but the hot and humid summer had been replaced with a chill wind and weak snow. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/374589_342839055726640_100000016445629_1345692_854311938_n-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/374589%5F342839055726640%5F100000016445629%5F1345692%5F854311938%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/374589%5F342839055726640%5F100000016445629%5F1345692%5F854311938%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) Gary, Mona and I went back to the old house that he and I had stayed in and posed for some lovely photos which I'm happy to share with you here. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/407305_342838935726652_100000016445629_1345687_1548607280_n-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/407305%5F342838935726652%5F100000016445629%5F1345687%5F1548607280%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/407305%5F342838935726652%5F100000016445629%5F1345687%5F1548607280%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) It was definitely very neat to go back there and think about how things have gone since then. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/394857_342838972393315_100000016445629_1345688_1535713319_n-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/394857%5F342838972393315%5F100000016445629%5F1345688%5F1535713319%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/394857%5F342838972393315%5F100000016445629%5F1345688%5F1535713319%5Fn.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) After going to the College, we met up with an old troublemaker for dinner and then crashed at Gary's. Breakfast was a delish American-ish toast, egg, bacon sort of thing, and then Gary and I split ways at the station. [![](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/gary-walking-away-700x525.jpg)](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/gary-walking-away.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) [](http://www.novaugust.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/gary-walking-away.jpg?ref=blog.novaugust.net) I went back to Kyoto, where I had one last day to pass with the family before heading back home to Sendai. That means there's just one more post to finish off this holiday series.