So we were here exactly four years ago.

But a lot has changed since then.

This time I have a kid, Michael's sister is joining with a special someone.

And grandpa gets to meet his grandson for the first time.

Plus a few more other things, which we'll get into this behind me is where Michael, my japanese wife grew up and where this video is going to take place that all said happy New Year and let's get started.

Okay?

So we just arrived and we are making it to the door now.

So this is Michael's mom is grandma ak baba.

And that's Michael's dad.

Wolfie is grandpa A K A G.

How have you been?

What are these?

This is actually the first time for grandpa to meet Wolfie in person.

He's been wanting to see him ever since Wolfie was born, but he's been recovering from a pretty severe stomach cancer surgery over the last several years and has been avoiding travel due to Covid.

So he's your first grandson, Right.

Oh, that's Junior.

Michael's sister's husband.

So, how many times have you been here?

Okay, no worries.

I got you.

It's pretty intimidating in Japan meeting your wife's parents for the first several times.

With all the japanese formalities and such.

Believe me, I know I'll do my best to make him feel at home.

What are you making my favorite?

She knows me well.

So on the way to the house today after Michael's sister and Junior picked us up from the train station.

We stopped by the supermarket.

It was actually the first time for Michael and I to meet Junior.

So it was good to be able to talk to him for a bit before getting to the house.

Just like the last time you were here on New Year's Eve, the supermarket is extremely crowded with people buying food for tonight and stocking up for the next few days in Japan.

It's typical for families and relatives to return to their hometown to celebrate the New Year's holidays together.

Similar to the west for christmas.

During this time, families tend to stay home, cook, eat and drink quite a bit.

So it's good to have a few days worth of supplies ready.

What you're getting Junior, What do you drink?

I think we're gonna get along.

So this year is pretty crazy compared to the last time we were here.

The lions go all the way to the back and then wrap back around to the front.

So many people, I guess we're here later in the day than we were last time.

So I guess the closer you get to the New Year, busier.

It is.

So last time we went shopping with their parents at New Year's.

This is before we were married, Michael told me it's considered kind of rude to pay for groceries as a guest in Japan.

But this time, I guess I'm part of the family now.

So I think it's all good for me to pay for the groceries.

Whoopee, it looks like he's getting along with.

Mhm Thanks.

So what have you been up to polish?

So grandpa got will be a lot of presents.

I can't blame him though.

He's probably just so excited to see him for the first time.

Oh he's hugging grandpa.

It's so cool to see.

But typically in Japan as kids get older, physical displays of affection like this get a bit awkward and then almost not existent during adulthood but for now it's still culturally accepted.

So I don't know if this is a very typical thing but all the men are in the living room hanging out and all the women are in the kitchen by mm Okay.

So Michael went out with her sister with Wolfie that are going to walk the dog and I'm here with her father and Junior and we're just gonna, you know, do what I guess men do on a traditional Japanese holiday like this, we drink.

What's that?

Yama gobo.

You really grew that?

Yes.

Yes.

So it's been a lonely few years for many families in Japan as they've avoided returning home for the holidays and even this year, many areas urged their city family members to avoid travel in fear of getting sick.

It's quite a different mindset compared to other parts of the world and the reason why you still see mass born in the country, luckily for us though we're all able to finally get together and welcome both Wolfie and Junior to the family.

Okay, here we go.

A critical part of Japanese drinking culture, pouring others drinks.

Oh, just before dinner, Michael's dad has a small speech for us, reminding us all to appreciate the health safety and happiness of each family member.

I wonder how Junior's feeling right now in his first New Year's dinner, strawberry, good.

Any comments on the food?

A few beers?

I think Junior is holding his own with grandpa.

So let's see what the ladies are doing.

Good job.

Oh, awesome.

I mean, you know Michael's the horse and he loves elephants.

Well, there's no explaining this one.

At least I made them laugh.

He was a bit timid when he first arrived, but now it looks like he's found his second home.

Okay, So it's about 7 45 right now.

We just are like about finishing dinner.

But it's kind of like going on.

People are still drinking, you know, we're just having a good time.

But the key here is that we have to make it until midnight to go to the Hudson rodeo, which is like the first time to go to the shrine of the year.

I actually don't know if I'm going to make it myself because we've been drinking.

So maybe it is a good time to take a nap right now.

Okay, so it is 11 15 right now.

We decided, well at least I decided not to go to sleep.

We're about to go to the shrine.

Michael though is not really dressed for it.

And then Michael's mom is also not dressed for it.

So I don't really know who's going to go.

I guess we're going to see you two are going to write, Hey Wolfie.

So Wolfie was in bed but woke up because he's having an allergic reaction to maybe some of the food he ate.

So Michael came down looking for his medicine.

It is about 11 55 right now and Wolfie just, you know, he's having some problems with his skin, he's having trouble sleeping.

So he just had to take care of that.

But it's 11 55 and is like literally no one is here.

I was expecting to go to Hudson tonight but everyone's gone and Wolfie, he's still struggling.

So last time you were here, Michael and I went to had with their parents.

But this year, Michael needs to watch over Wolfie and so it'll just be me joining the rest of the family if I can find them.

Yeah.

So it is officially 2023.

We are about to go out to Hudson mode.

It's just gonna be us because everyone else went to sleep cold out here.

Walk into the shrine.

Mhm So we're here just in front of the fire.

This is amazing.

You can see there's quite a bit of people here.

Just enjoying the new year after midnight in Japan.

It's typical for everyone to gather at temples and shrines to pray for the new year and to show appreciation for the year past.

So what are you going to pray for?

What about you?

I wish the best for them to.

It's about 12 45 right now and we're just in front of the season box, we're about to make our donation and pray as many of you know from following the channel this last year, Michael and will be had quite a few health issues, some personally thankful that our family was able to get through this year.

It's nothing but struggle city when trying to create content while tending to sick family members at the same time.

I can wish for now Nothing more than a healthy family for 2023.

What's that?

Okay, so we have just returned from Hades a mode and we are now about to have some soba just to celebrate the new year.

This is part of the entire tradition here in Japan.

Cool, so what time are you leaving tomorrow?

So happy New Year to everyone And this is 2023.

By the time you guys watch this video, it's probably going to be a few weeks afterwards wishing you guys an awesome year.

Thank you guys for watching the channel.

Thank you guys for being a part of this.

Like always we were up until probably just after two last night.

Michael still asleep, grandma, still asleep grandpa, still asleep and obviously will feel still asleep.

It's just me, It's just after eight o'clock right now.

Jr and Eddie chan they were sleeping right there where they were actually on the couch when I went upstairs.

I thought they were still going to be here this morning.

I thought they were going to be like just waking up and I'd be able to say goodbye, but I think they left.

So maybe they got up just a little bit earlier, which is unfortunate and we would like to, to say goodbye to them.

Um, I don't know when I'll see them next.

Probably at Eddie jones wedding.

So I think what we'll do is just wait for everyone to get up.

I'll show you guys what the rest of the day is going to be like, I'll probably try to go out with Wolfie, maybe go on a little run to the park with him, play around a little bit in the morning and then I new year mommy, I didn't sleep last night.

Good down.

One thing I noticed that he's speaking a lot more japanese ever since we got here.

Probably because at home we mainly speak english together and now he's surrounded by all japanese speakers, heck I'm even speaking japanese crazy how quickly bilingual kids can adjust to their environment.

Michael, what's that?

Japanese style?

What are you guys doing?

So I ate and drank just a tad too much yesterday.

So I decided to go for a healthy run with Wolfie this morning to start off the new year and we're back.

Is it just me or does nothing here?

A night of drinking better than a good sweat the next morning?

So Japanese New Year's breakfast usually includes which is this intricately prepared box of small food dishes each with its own meaning of good fortune and Azzoni a traditional japanese soup with mochi.

Inside recipes are completely different depending on where you live in Japan and their families.

Azzoni recipe is based from Nagano where biko's dad's from.

I'm just sleeping.

Why are you so sleepy?

I think the night before I didn't sleep the night before we were drinking last night I was making a weird time.

I just haven't had a regular standard sleeping hours.

I usually don't drink hope movies.

That's the main reason why I was just gonna chill and sleep okay so Wolfie and I are back from our morning run play and just like hanging out got out of the shower and what do you expect?

But everyone is watching the T.

V.

Just like hanging out around there which I've shared before.

But basically what you'll find is that there's just a lot of tv time sit in front of the T.

V.

Talking like catching up on the year.

But because they say around at home there's a lot of good programming it's probably like some of the best programming you'll have if you are in Japan during this time, then you might want to just check out some of the japanese tv because it's playing all day during this time.

So while they're actually watching tv and like hanging out, let's take this opportunity to let me show you kind of what's changed around the house and maybe what's still around.

So one thing that's quite interesting about japanese houses, especially in the winter, is the temperature differences between the rooms and the hallways.

Usually since the family is all around here, then it's all heated and you have the heated floor or you have the A.

C from the from above, but the hallways it's not heated.

So let me show you the temperature difference just from this room into the next, I actually set this up a little bit earlier and then if we walk through here just outside, so that's a six degree temperature difference.

But it's even more, especially at night and you can find decorations that you can only find during the New Year's.

This straw decoration as maybe you saw last time, it's called, she may not used for ritual purification in Japan often seen at the home's front door during the New Year's.

But at Michael's house has also placed in areas of the house that have water as well.

So this room is kind of interesting because if you've ever seen my day in the life of a japanese car repair worker then you would know that this was Eddie's room back in the day, but obviously she's moved out since then and Michael, Wolfie and I slept here last night and now Michael's mom uses it as a sewing room.

So there you go.

A lot of people in the comments were asking if that's Michael's sister.

And the truth is, yes.

So since we were last here, it looks like Michael's dad has taken to growing his own plants and vegetables.

He even has his own little greenhouse and chilies.

Oh, here comes Wolfie.

So I guess our Japanese New Year's home tour stops here.

I caught this good, Oh good.

Okay.

One thing that I love about visiting this place is that there's so much space for Wolfy to play, not just at the house, but also the huge parks around the neighborhood as well as the open streets, living in a small apartment in Tokyo.

We really value open space and Wolfie himself just enjoys being able to freely run around despite the winter cold outside.