When one year comes to a close in Japan and a new year begins, something truly unique happens
Japan shuts down.
Hospitals are closed.
Most stores are closed.
The roads in town can seem abandoned.
Traditionally this is the time when Japanese people will go back to their hometowns to spend the time with their family.
Since our hometown is not here in Japan, what do we do when Japan shuts down?
[Life in Japan Theme Song]
I get 2? Wait Mommy, you can flip this over first.
We love time together as family, so naturally as winter break approaches, we get excited!
Daddy's turn.
We like some Ticket to Ride. It's the holidays, time for some games!
Who's going to win this time?
Mommy, don't put it down, I was just going to put it down. Mommy!
Anna sometimes gets a little crazy in these games.
I picked it! I picked it!
Alright, that's enough coffee for you.
Yeah, enough coffee. You got to hyper.
Ahhhh, I got the card that I wanted.
I have to figure out my plan of action here.
Now that the kids are older, they get pretty competitive with the board games, aiming to take out mommy or daddy.
You never know what might happen.
It's time to tally up the points here. This is intense.
How many points did you have?
39 . 39.
How many will Becca have?
I completed all of these. Wow, cool huh?!
11. So this is 10. 21... She got 51!
Becca absolutely crushed us that time.
I got 48 points.
Momma absolutely lost.
Mommy was one of those that was crushed.
But it’s not all fun and games at the end of the year, in fact there’s a lot of work to be done before break comes.
At school, work and home there’s a massive cleaning that’s called “osoji.”
The Japanese like everything in order for the new year!
My, a lot of it is coming off though huh?
That's cool.
Magic eraser.
Daddy, you need to come up here.
You can see the difference. See?
The difference? Sure enough. My goodness.
It’s not just “osoji” that needs to get done, the girls have another big, secret project underway.
Mommy, you're not allowed to go in there?
I'm not! So, I'm out here sulking. No, I'm not.
I've been banned from my kids' room.
Hey girls, can daddy and the camera come in? Yes.
We're making an apron using this.
For mommy!
For Momma-chan.
Oh, I love it!
Ok! Bye!
I hope mommy didn't hear because she is right out there.
Is it cool? Am I going to love it?
A few hours later...
You're working with the sewing machine?
We messed up our first one.
Oh no!
Have you done this at school?
No, I was on vacation. But we did it with grandma before.
Oh yeah?
As the year was nearing the end, we had another big project — our very first livestream from Paz Coffee Shop!
We had prepared as best as we could and were anxious to do it.
We are getting ready for our livestream from Paz Coffee Shop. It will be a 7:00pm. Look at this, it's going to be awesome!
Seth's helping us out. Ben, Debbie and the beautiful Block girls are here.
And Kota-san is here.
They are all helping us make the livestream happen.
Livestream central is set up and ready to go. Look at these awesome camera angles that we have.
Oh my goodness, this is going to be epic!
The countdown has started. That's my Trump hair.
Everybody's here with us.
And we're about to start.
As the countdown finished, we went live on Life in Japan!
Welcome everyone to our livestream of Life in Japan.
The stars in the sky...
Each kid prepared a special song to play live as well as a number of other fun surprises including Ruth’s homemade cookies for everyone who came.
And for those who came in person, you actually get to have some cookies.
Now, the people here get cookies.
It was a lot more work than just a normal episode, and so many of you participated!
The angel's here.
He is telling them about baby Jesus.
Thanks so much for making it so special.
Once it was done we were relieved. Our winter break was one step closer.
Hi Sarah bear.
You did an awesome job tonight honey.
Big J, what's up Big J.
Tomorrow what is it?
It's Christmas. Yep.
Oh yeah.
So,
It's going to be for mommy, don't worry.
It's a little big.
That is awesome.
Early the next morning...
It is Christmas do-da.
Oh my goodness.
Good morning!
Good morning! What is today?
Christmas! We can open presents.
Oh yes!
Joshua, you've been waiting a long time for this moment, huh?
Yes?
Soon it was time for the moment the Reutter kids look forward to every year — opening Christmas presents!
From Mommy, Daddy, Becca and Anna.
I can't see it yet! I can only see purple.
Wait, what is this?
Yes!
To Mommy.
Oh from us. You'll love it!
That's to Daddy.
Wow. I have no idea what it is.
I'll open it right now from you guys. Yes.
Origami!
It's an apron!
Oh my goodness! Try it on, try it on.
Oh it fits perfectly!!!
This is a practice book so I can write.
Oh my goodness Momma-chan.
Oh it's perfect, I'll tie it like this.
Make cookies with that. Every day. Every day.
That's amazing!
This year the girls gave some great gifts to everyone, using their own time and money. It was so special.
Is this like an egg or something?
Um, kind of. Raw.
A raw egg. Here you go daddy. You just have to make it.
Life in Japan!
It's a stand.
He broke it already. No, it was already broken like that.
That is really cool! I had no idea what it was going to be.
But there were still a few surprises left — this time for the kids.
I got a scooter!
Sarah's going to help.
What? What? It's a scooter!
Yay, yay, I got a scooter!
Mix and match them.
Since our girls are growing up they are getting clothes.
They don’t seem very excited… yet.
Is there more presents for us?
It's for you guys.
Is it a laser gun?
This is the last one for Joshua.
There’s an art to giving Christmas gifts — save the best for last!
The excitement.
This year was really a Santa Claus.
Soon the gifts were on there way to being used, and soon our family and friends would arrive to have Christmas brunch together.
It's Christmas! Kids are opening presents.
The adults are eating yummy food.
Look at Jiji's gift. Of my goodness, perfect gift for Jiji.
We are about to start the biggest Mario project to date. Lego Mario project to date, right?
That's gotta be challenging. It's going to be challenging.
Joshua's doing the honors.
Maybe not.
If you’ve ever put together a modern lego set, you know it’s a big undertaking.
This particular Lego set, Bowser’s Airship, has several separate bags you need to open in the right sequence.
We've got this together, at least part of it.
So here we go Joshua, let's see it.
Here we go.
The directions for building the set are on an app that you download.
So all you need now is time, but isn’t that a big part of the fun of Lego sets?
Look at the amount of detail that goes into the ship. It's amazing!
Ohhh, this is looking so cool.
While we've been inside building this whole time, the girls have got their laser tag,
And they are playing it and they called their friend over and Sarah's outside on her scooter.
Everyone's just enjoying their gifts here today.
So, how was it? It was so much fun.
Can I play, can I play?
Oh, and you were doing your scooter Sarah?
So you guys are going to take a little break?
I'm going to have to see what this looks like, huh?
Its fun. Very cool.
Joshua didn’t want me to take a long break, so it was time to build again.
The big questions was: could we finish yet today, or would it have to go on for longer?
Alright! We are getting close now, aren't we Big J?
Huh? Look. Its looking so cool and we have packages 12 and 13.
Ok dude. We've reached that part.
We have to put everything that we have done, now we have to put it all together. Oh my goodness.
This comes right here.
We did it! Yes!
Did you see the other lego Mario?
We come today because we have a 1 year to celebrate.
Let's go!
Now! Ok, after I fix my hat.
When I heard the girls yelling orders for food upstairs, I thought something might be wrong, but it wasn’t.
They were playing Overcooked 2, a game where you have to run a restaurant.
Ok, here's the shrimp. I'm going to put it in the pan.
Oh, I threw it off the roof.
Ok, we need fish, shrimp and macaroni on a plate.
You're getting it!
Ok, I'm cutting shrimp for the next one
Now with Christmas done and Bowser’s Airship built, the end of the year was quickly approaching.
We finally had some proper time to relax and do some things that our family enjoys doing together.
Although we’d love to travel, it’s not an option this year, so we’re having a staycation — a vacation where you stay at home.
But not to worry, there’s still a lot of things that we want to explore near us!
Sarah, tell me. What did you think of that slide? How was it?
Amazing! Amazing? Ok.
Yo!
Snuck right on by.
You gonna see how fast you can go Sarah? Ok.
Are you going to catch up with Izzy?
Big J.
Ok Anna.
How was it Joshua?
It was good?
Alright. Awesome dude!
Well that was a fun warmup!
Now lets go see the main attraction.
The main attraction is the athletic field at Heiwa no Mori, something many of you have all suggested to us.
Google said it was open today, but we were in for a not so nice surprise.
We had a rather unfortunate discovery. It's closed, from today!
Look at this park. Oh my goodness.
Nobody's in it because it's closed today.
It would be so cool. We'll have to come back sometime.
Wanting to still do something, we found a mall that said it was still open and soon discovered an interesting side-effect to things shutting down in Japan
the places that are open are packed!
Panda Express? Yes!
Is it American style Panda Express? It is!
And it's one of the only ones in Japan.
We have to go down to the first floor. Ok, let's do it.
Everybody's chowing in.
To a little piece of American-Chinese food.
Oh boy, the ladies are shopping.
And let me tell you what, we have made a number of decisions for purchases already.
Anna, what are you getting today?
A black dress. A black dress?
Really? Oh, the gray one.
What do you have here Sarah? Show it to me.
Its a chocolate. It has marshmallows in it and it turns into hot chocolate.
It turns into hot chocolate? How?
You put milk, hot milk, in it.
Hot milk in it and it will just dissolve?
yeah. Ok, ready?
Oh boy. Here comes the milk.
Here it comes. Very hot milk going in.
It um, floats!
Yeah, because there is air inside.
Oh, look at it, look at it, look at it! Oh my goodness.
Joshua, where's yours?
Look at this. It's melting.
See his? He bit his open.
Oh, look at his marshmallows came out already. Sure enough.
That one's almost free. Oh, mine came out.
Your's came out? Awwwww. Look at that one.
Whoa, that's cool.
Becca's working on hers. She said stay under.
Oh, there it goes. I saw some bubbles. Here comes ours!
Awe! Cool Becca.
That's a lot of marshmallows.
That is so cool. Now mix it everybody.
Oh, I got some chocolate.
When the year comes to a close, you start to think about that year.
What went well. What didn’t.
What you’d like to do again. What you’d like to leave behind.
The new year gives a chance to start all over and refocus priorities.
Did you make a mess of things last year?
Well it’s a chance to make things right and try again.
Did you do a good job?
Well then it’s a chance to hone what you’ve done and make it even better.
I love the new year, because it reminds me that, as long as I’m alive, there’s hope for becoming a better person.
Big J, you're doing awesome dude.
Look at you, swinging like a pro.
Oh yeah.
In the business of life, it’s easy to miss the moments that really matter,
— special time with friends and family that you may never have again, like kids learning how to swing.
You blink, and they’ve learned it and moved on to the next thing.
What is going on with your hands Sarah?
Mommy's gloves. Mommy's gloves don't quite fit.
What about momma-chan?
Cold! It's cold.
She's got her scarf, her mask, her hat,
And I'm wearing Sarah's gloves.
You're wearing Sarah's gloves and Sarah's wearing Mommy's. Oh my goodness.
So as we enter the new year, I am once again struck with the need to keep the important things in life front and center, not getting distracted by everything else.
Yes, work, school, income and goals are important — but they are not the focus.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again — a good life revolves around loving relationships with one another and with God in Jesus Christ.
When these things are your top priorities, everything else sorts itself out.
That’s the way we live our life, and every new years is a chance to reevaluate how we’re doing.
I need to take off my gloves really quick.
You're going to give them back to Sarah so that Sarah can give her's back to mommy?
We have our scooter parking here, huh?
The 4 scooters.
All nicely parked.
Oh Becca! Is it done?
Yeah.
Oh my little cutie cat-ness.
Just making sure you can't see the numbers that much.
Oh yeah?
Where is the numbers?
The numbers are all in there. It says which you're supposed to paint on which place.
That is so cool
I see the numbers.
Snowing! It's snowing, its snowing! What's going on?
What?
No freakin way! Look at that.
Mommy, I'm going outside!
Oh my goodness gracious. How cool is that?
Oh my goodness.
The flurries lasted only a moment, then the sun broke out for one last time in 2021.
I grabbed my camera and got some shots on our iconic bridge, because the next time we would see the sun, it would rise over this same bridge, but in 2022.
Yes, Japan was about to shut down for New Years, and we had our own special plans to welcome the new year.
What's going on up here?
Are you guys going to stay up until midnight tonight to the new year?
We're going to fall asleep and then wake back up.
You're going to fall asleep and then wake back up.
I tucked the little Reutter kids into bed and then got ready for the new year myself.
I would not be going to bed quite so soon.
Look at the scene up here.
Almost midnight huh?
Almost.
A few moments later...
We made it to 2022.
We prayed in the New Year.
And now we are going to bed.
Are you guys going down to your beds?
The real beds?
And if by some miracle you are awake to see the sunrise, we'll go see it.
This is what 2022 looks like.
We'll get a better look at it later.
It's bedtime now.
Guys, I think it's going to be a very clear sunrise today.
Did you see? Look.
Did you see all the people waiting on the bridge?
They are waiting for the sunrise over there. Isn't that cool?
The girls are like, we want to watch the sunrise from here.
There's too many people. Look at all the kids going.
Yeah, a bunch of kids going too guys.
First sunrise of the year.
We are watching.
We are going to see it. You can kind of see it behind the cloud there.
Kind of peeking through.
So many people.
If they all jumped at the same time, what would happen?
If they all kept jumping on the bridge at the same time what would happen?
Break?
I don't know.
These girls they wanted to get up with me, right? To see the sunrise?
We stayed up almost until 12:00 but we didn't make it. No, you were out cold.
I could not wake up.
We were laying in bed listening to Daddy.
The bright sunrise gives hope that our best days are yet to come.
Yes, all of Japan shuts down for this moment when we put the old behind us and look forward to the new.
So from our family to yours, Happy New Year.