This past summer I decided to take a quick trip up to the town I lived in while teaching English in Japan.  Yep, it has the same name as Karl's town, Shimamoto cho.  It felt good to go back after six years and I didn't tell anyone I was going so I could walk around relatively unnoticed.  However, I think a few people were a little shocked to see a big black man strolling around their town taking pictures.  Check out some of the photos below. I've been trying to re-create some of these locations in the comic.  Enjoy!

 

Here we are at Minase station off of the Hankyu railway line. 

Hey, you can look up my nose!  The building behind me is where I used to live.  Right under the number 2.

I walked past #1 Junior High School where I used to work.  Pretty much all Junior High Schools in Japan look like this.

Here's the long road up to #2 Junior High School.  The bus would take me up this way if I was too tired to ride a bike.  The smaller white building on the left is where the Board of Education office is.

I was trying to remember this map outside of the train station when I drew the strip about taking the bus up to school.  I think I got it right...somewhat.

Let's take it back to when I was teaching there!  I remember it well, walking around while the students take an English quiz.  Makin' 'em nervous!