We spent the night on futon at the Matsumotos’ house. It’s not much different than sleeping on a ThermaRest, except you have a comforter on top and a soba-filled pillow. Comforters around here have solid fabric on one side, and mesh on the other, I guess to encourage airflow in the humidity.

Breakfast was incredible, and upon hearing that I liked natto, we were served some of the stinky soybean concoction, mixed with mustard and green onions.

Tane was beautiful, the rice fields soft after the hard corners of Tokyo.

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