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Yesterday I went to Takasaki to get a daruma doll for my dad. I searched many store, but couldn't find a laquered daruma doll. Finally, at one store, there was a small laquered daruma, but it obviously wasn't for sale. I took it to the clerk and asked her where I could buy on like that. She said it wasn't for sale, and that it had been a gift from a company. I insisted that I still wanted to buy one. Instead of telling me where to find a similar one, the lady told me she's just give it to me, because she could get another one. So she wrapped it up, and included a small laquered shuttle cock. I was also lucky enough to meet my JTE's neighbor. Miss Ito had me wait outside her apartment while she got readyto go out. I waited for about 10 minutes. One of her neighbors took an interest in me. I was standing in the street, fanning myself with a fan. The neighbor lady came out with a hand-woven fan from Okinawa. She suggested that it might work better. I thanked her and used it. When her husband came home, she told him that I spoke Japanese well, so he came and chatted with me. Then the lady came out with another fan. This one smelled like sandalwood, and was from Hong Kong. We chatted a bit more, then Miss Ito came outside, and I left. |