I actually took a day off last Saturday for the first time in as long as I can remember. Actually, it was more like I ran away for a day, because that’s really the only way to get out of all family obligations when you have young children.

I was offered the chance to go on a free tour of a sake brewery in the morning, followed by a museum visit in the afternoon. While it wasn’t something I was foaming at the bit to do, it did sound like a novel experience, and it did turn into a very fulfilling day off.

But it definitely wasn’t sitting around and doing nothing. That doesn’t happen much in Japan. At least, not in my experience.