Ever heard of Oosouji? It translates to "the big cleaning" and is spring cleaning with a bit more oomph. At the Outpost administrative offices, and the Exchange offices, we're up to your eyeballs in the big clean, which explains why we've been a bit quiet.
Here's a little excerpt from a web site for foreigners living in Japan, giving a great explanation of Oosouji:
" 'Oosouji' is the name of this annual ritual; its literal translation is 'the big cleaning.' At the end of every year, Japanese homes are meticulously cleaned in an effort to drive out any impure influences that may have taken up residence during the previous year. Purification is the key objective here, and while us foreigners here in Japan may choose to ignore or disregard the symbolism behind this age-old Japanese custom, the end result (a clean and uncluttered house) is something I'm sure we all want and strive for."
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