Parental Guidance Recommended

Out-of-town visitors can test any expat's patience, and none more so than parents. Deciphering mom and dad's interests and energy levels can be difficult at best. Sometimes it's a matter of pure luck. Kelly Stratman's parents were in Tokyo for a week, and to keep them entertained, she and her husband, Stephen, transformed themselves into tour-guide extraordinaires. They planned visits to the Meiji Shrine, Kamakura's Great Buddha and the Yokohama waterfront, rented a car for an overnight trip to the Izu peninsula, and even scheduled a New Year's Day viewing of the Emperor at his palace.

Stratman's parents...