Japanese Mums

Most of the ALTs I know have what is known as a 'Japanese Mum'. Now, I have to be careful how I word this because my real Mum back in the UK is an avid reader of my blog (maybe the only one). A Japanese mum is a lady who is, shall we say, 'senior', and lives nearby. She makes you food, gets you involed with local things, and introduces you to people in the area, most of whom are female, and 'senior'.

There are a few people in and around Tatsuno who have been very helpful and have invited me to their homes and fed me. But no-one does it better than Yoko Iida. She and her husband live a short bike ride from me and they have been kind enough to spend time with me (and occasionally invite me to gatherings where they can show off that they know the white guy). In return I contribute an article to a monthly publication of the local community centre, where Iida sensei is a manager of sorts.



Yoko Iida making oden.