December Reflections – From Melbourne to Japan 🦌❤️🦌

adeercottage
Dec 26, 2025
3 min read

Hello again, Te Kani and I would like to wish you a very happy festive Season from A Deer Cottage, in Kaukapakapa, Auckland, New Zealand. If you wish to find out more about A Deer Cottage you can do so here.

However, December found us soaking up the joy of pre-Christmas in Melbourne, surrounded by what matters most – family. Time with our daughters was extra special, and seeing our eldest daughter’s young family brought many smiles, laughter, and those quiet moments that remind us how precious these years are. Our few days, were filled with so much love, spending it with our girls and our grandsons, with both bush walks and city garden walks, seeing a family of Tawny Owls up close was a treat, and then seeing the Grey Headed Flying Fruit Bats at dusk at Yarra Bend Park, while earlier in the day, we visited the minature .village in the same park.

Not long after, our journey carried us across the ocean to Tokyo, where we reunited with our dear friend Mariko, we also caught up with Hachi, Hachiko was a real dog who lived in Tokyo in the early 1900's. We first met Mariko three and a half years ago as we were leaving Japan after the birth of our granddaughter, so reconnecting felt wonderfully full-circle.

Mariko treated us to three days of unforgettable experiences – we started off with a trip into Tokyo City, we walked the famous "Shibuya Crossing" , and then off to the "TeamLab Borderless, Digital Art Museum", we had so much fun, enjoying all the totally immersive, colourful and futuristic Art displays.

To top this all off, the next day the three of us made a visit to Mount Fuji, complete with a peaceful Pirate boat cruise on Lake Ashinoko, Hakone. At this stage, Mount Fuji was very elusive due to the cloudy weather, however, when we were leaving we saw a peak through the clouds, and then once again leaving Tokyo to head to Kyoto by Shinkansen. Mariko and her Mum, also treated us to a stay at a traditional hotel. We enjoyed a private onsen, followed by an exquisite dinner that was as much art as it was food. It was one of those evenings that stays with you forever. The next day we had another fantastic experience having lunch back in Chiba with Mariko and her extended family, where tears were spent when we left to join our son and his family.

From there, with our son, his wife and our grand daughter we left for two magical days at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Watching our granddaughter’s delight made the long days and busy parks more than worth it. Another unforgettable experience and magical memories being made.

We then travelled on to our son’s home in the Kyoto Prefecture, where we shared a gentle and heartfelt Christmas Day together. The celebrations ended in true local style at the sushi train – relaxed, delicious, and full of laughter.

Boxing Day greeted us with an unexpected gift: snow. Kani and I wrapped up warmly and wandered a few minutes up the road to a Shinto shrine, where we quietly paid our respects. It was calm, reflective, and deeply moving – a perfect pause in the middle of a full and wonderful journey. I love the photo of me with a spot of snow on my nose!