I traveled most of November, so I really appreciated this hot springs foot bath located inside the train station near Lake Suwa, Nagano.
I needed a place to stay-- at least until March-- and Faith and Francesco needed help with their very busy December schedule of ministry. I accepted-- along with Christian, in the center.
Their large building in Shizuoka prefecture has been a missionary center for over fifteen years-- most recently hosting retreats and training programs. This building has a large dining area, kitchen and six bedrooms.
This second, smaller house has five bedrooms and is used mostly as a guest house.
My room at the second-floor rear of the main building looks out through a wide band of pine trees toward the ocean. The combination of the sound of crashing waves and the wind in the pines is... amazing.
Through the trees you can just see the seawall, topped by a jogging/ bicycle path.
And once on the wall, clouds permitting, Mount Fuji is often visible. Since I took this photo, it's become almost completely covered with snow.
The beach is rocky-- here seen near sunset where a river discharges into the ocean. There are almost always fishermen here.
My part of the bargain... eighteen performances in hospitals and in centers for elderly and the handicapped -- and the last few days before Christmas, hours of street performances and distributing Christmas messages-- inspiring!
