Snow!

Snow outside our apartment.

 On Monday Tokyo received it's first snow fall of the year.  We've gotten mixed reports (and centimeters are still confusing to us) but it looks like somewhere between three and five inches.  Tokyo is at the same latitude as San Francisco  so it is not normal to get snow.  It started Monday morning. As we were skyping with Erik's parents when we noticed the heavy rain started to turn into a slushy snow.  We were really surprised when it started to accumulate.  Even more surprised when we got a call at 6pm from Pastor Sekino who needed help shoveling the sidewalk at the church.  Erik and I bundled up and made the .8 of a mile walk to the church.  It was very amusing to watch the Japanese battle the snow.  There were people trying to ride bicycles.  There were women in heels.  Shopkeepers used square & spade shovels, dustpans, brooms, squidgies, and even a trowel to remove the ice and snow.  And everyone had an umbrella!

Shoveling at Tokyo Lutheran.

Walking down Okubo-Dori Ave after the snowfall. 

Snowman the Hongo kids built after our English Snowman lesson.