The sun was still warm in the south, so we rushed in that direction. We drove from coast to coast, mostly sleeping at Michi no ekis (a type of roadside rest stop) and eating more onigiri than I could count. After many hours on the highway, we finally saw the ocean on the horizon. The first time we dove beneath the surface, the air was cold, but the sea was warm like an onsen. We surfed small, glassy waves and fell asleep exhausted, with smiles on our faces.