For many, February is a frigid month, a month to just grit your teeth, zip up your jacket and trudge your way through a slog of icy, sleety days and cold weather. But February in Japan makes my heart sing. From bean throwing and daruma burning at the beginning of the month to the gorgeous … Continue reading
Hello all and a very belated happy new year! It’s sadly been a few months since I last wrote on this blog and I fear that pattern may not change much this year. Although I made several trips back to Japan in 2017, at the moment there are no planned trips on the schedule for 2018. It’s … Continue reading
I haven’t done a Manhole Monday post in quite some time, so I took a cruise through my photo archives today to try to find a unique one. I stumbled across this colorful one from a trip to Niigata a few winters ago: I usually do a little write-up on the scene that graces each … Continue reading
Japan is chock full of temples and shrines and frankly, not all of them are worth adding to your itinerary. In some cases, they’re too old or run-down or out of the way to make the effort. In other instances, visiting in one season may leave a bland impression … while visiting at just that perfect … Continue reading
I’m not a vegetarian but I do love my vegetables. And I’m even more willing to consume them when they’re presented to me in a unique way. Continue reading
It’s been a busy spring with not much time for blogging, and for that I apologize. In late February, I had the chance to return to my “home” of Kumamoto, leading a small group of travelers on a tour to support the region. Continue reading
Alright, I’ll admit it, I am a sucker for good food photography. If you can style your food and photograph it in such a manner that it makes me start drooling all over the page/screen, you’ve done your job VERY well. It does also help to have a “gimmick”. Not in the way that you’re … Continue reading
