Hopper & Chinami

When the theater group came through town, a dinner party was organized at Happy Restaurant. It's actually the chef's house with a massive long table in his front room, where everyone sits on a tatami mat floor and eats family-style from the myriad delicious dishes, beer and sake flowing at alarming rates. This wasn't the first time we were invited there, but it was the first time Hopper met Chinami.

She moved to Kamiyama from Tokyo over a year ago with her mom who works for one of the satellite offices that have opened here. We had been eating and chatting when she came over to say hello and it was as though lightening struck. She grabbed a car and joined Hopper and he didn't look away from her for about 2 1/2 hours. Love at first sight.

It was a shame we didn't meet her sooner, it was about 3 weeks before we left, because she would've been the perfect babysitter. (She's 24) There were so many things going on with events and Nik's work completion that we just didn't get a chance to take her up on her offer to "babysit, anytime". 

She's so sweet and adorable it's no wonder he became smitten and it was obvious she also thought he was lovely. Every time we saw her, it was as if no one else existed. He would give her hugs (which is so way out of his character for a 'stranger') and speak to her with Japanese words she would teach him. He would chase her and grab her and laugh with such glee that everyone could see just how special their connection was.

Still now, a couple months later, whenever Hopper sees a picture of her he smiles, cocks his head to the side, and says "Chinami" all breathy and sweet. And just yesterday, during a diaper change, he was talking about things he loves and out of the blue he said, "I love Chinami!" Nik said "Should we go see Chinami?" and he said "Yeah!". Here's to hoping we make it back to Kamiyama soon so they can hang out again.

Here are some of their highlights.

 1/2 of Happy table