It looks like it's going to be a long winter. I'm sure I don't need to tell you. Although there appears to be relief from the pandemic on the horizon, there are still a few months to endure before—hopefully—things begin to return to normal. Making matters worse in Japan, the government recently expanded a coronavirus state of emergency to cover more than half of the population.

Heading home

This year, New Year's celebrations were also likely abbreviated. While most residents typically travel to see friends and family over the winter holidays, it's hard to imagine dinner parties and temple visits occurring per usual. Indeed, many online noted how they were staying put during the holidays. After all, older family members would be better off limiting their potential exposure.

A recent post by manga artist Hiro Akino (@16_akino) reminded readers how good they used to have. The artist recalls traveling home for the winter break after his first semester in college. Of course, the author took the chance to catch up with some old friends with whom he shared many special memories:

It seems like this group of friends had too many good memories to choose from. Indeed, it seems impossible to limit the possibilities to just a single place.

Readers reacted:

If you liked this manga you can find more like it on Akino Hiro’s Twitter page. Enjoy!