July, 2008: Inspection of JAPAN
For the first ever Star Wars Celebration held in Asia, the Japanese Garrison hosted me in Tokyo and the neighboring Chiba prefecture. Japan's outpouring of excitement for Star Wars and for the 501st was staggering. Two, the CO of the JG, and his XO Kenichi, amassed a small but amazing group: Goro (maker of the Dewback), Akira (while in his 3PO costume he loaned me his TK armor), Joe (winner of the Droid Hunt), Master (owner of the Cantina, a Star Wars themed restaraunt in Tokyo), Daichi, Fumio, Toshio, Shuji Hayashi (founder of the JG whom I've talked to via email for 11 years and finally got to meet), and the lovely women Kana, Michiko, Yuri, Ayumi, and Kaori. Stuart Wilkshire (originally from Australia but now a resident of Japan) and his wife Michiko hosted me and made my stay feel like I was home even a half a world away.