I’ve been away on a ski trip for the past few days and spent the new year in Takasaki, Gunma with Ros, Takeshi+Kojima while staying over at Takeshi’s parents residence. Celebration for the New Year in Gunma is a quiet and traditional event as folks gathered at a local shrine to pray at midnight, tolling a large bell on a tower to sound away the past year’s sins and wish for good luck.

In the morning we got to savor a traditional Japanese new year breakfast cooked by Takeshi’s mother before we headed back to hectic Tokyo once again.

2007 has been an eventful and memorable year; I finally finished film school and got a job I really like, working on an animation project with some great folks here in Tokyo. Its also nice to get a little recognition at home, and Animation Nation 2007 was a blast, amongst other things. Thanks goes out to all friends, old and new, for your help and support; may the new year bring great rewards for us all, and then some.

I’ll be doing more frequent posts for the next few days to catch up, so check back soon.

Enjoy the New Year !