Mariko does some gardening

Thank you! I only wish that it had been a bit brighter out when I got this picture >3<

Mariko: I would be happy to, di-chan, but I am afraid that they are not quite ripe yet. I would be happy to share with you as soon as they are, though! ^^

Thank you! I've never really thought of her as having a bit of a latina look to her, but now that you mention it.

My Yukino-type has a back story where she's Peruvian Nikkei. Yumiko Natsume's a descendant of the Japanese who went to Peru seeking arable land and a chance. Japan has traditionally been a nation where primogeniture determines who gets family farms. If you are the first born male, you win the genetic derby. But if you are the number two son...your options aren't so hot.

Traditionally the safety valve for those sons who didn't stand to inherit was to become a footsoldier in the army of a Daimyo, but when the Meiji Emperor broke the power of the Samurai this safety valve was cut off. Fearing idle and restive peasantry which would be open to radicalism the Meiji Emperor contacted agricultural nations in South America looking for some which were open to Japanese emigrants with farming skill. Peru and Brazil were among those which were receptive. Most came as indentured farmworkers who had to work through a contract before being freed to seek their fortune. South America became to Japan what the West was to the United States: a social safety valve.

Things went as planned until World War II, when fear of Japanese imperialism caused the Peruvians to deport their Japanese immigrants. The Peruvian Nikkei, including Yumiko's grandparents, were sent to internment camps in the United States for the duration of the war.

After WWII, many of these opted to stay and become US citizens, and some went back to Japan. Most did not return to Peru. However, enough Nikkei Perujin returned to where they became a significant minority group in Peru. Some anti-Nikkei sentiment came with the corrupt regime of Alberto Fujimori, (Pronounced Fu-hee-mor-ee in Peru) but most have the kind of "model minority" status that Japanese-Americans have here in the States.

Yumiko's parents and older siblings emigrated from Peru to the US in the late 1970s, escaping economic malaise and Leftist terror. Yumiko was born in the United States, a surprise baby to her parents, who thought her mom had already gone through her change of life. Yumiko's father, Carlos Natsume, a motion picture sound recordist, is largely Japanese. Yumiko's mother, Lisa Natsume Moreno, is Spanish Peruvian and Peruvian Indian.

So yeah, I noticed that Yumiko looked Eurasian...Japanese/Latina. Hence she got this elaborate back story. Believe me, all three of my big dolls have this kind of carefully mapped-out back story.

More about the Japanese Peruvian experience: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Peruvians

The strawberries are very tasty! Nothing like home-grown fruit!

I feel like her eyes are always very deep; it's one of the things I love about the animetic eyes.

Thank you so much! X3

Thank you!

Thank you! I'd almost say she's more photogenic than her sister, but don't tell Ayame I said that >>;

I wish I could garden as well as she could.