Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
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. Enter Re:gendo, a charming cafe in an old Japanese home in the western Tokyo suburb of Nishi-Ogikubo. Unless you're a fan of ramen or anime, there's not much... 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. This month marks one year since the sudden and devastating quakes in... 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 →
Every January for the past few years, I've started off the new calendar with a list of my travel goals for the upcoming months. I just took a glance back at the last few lists and I am pleased to say, I've covered a lot of what I set out to do. We did indeed... Continue Reading →
It's taken me awhile to get around to this post and not just because I was waiting until I returned from my latest trip to Japan. If you've ever gone through reverse culture shock, you know it can be rather insidious. Things feel overwhelming, then they settle down, then they overwhelm you, and the roller... Continue Reading →
When I picked up last month's Review selection (K is for Kabuki), I also grabbed another book called Real Samurai. This nonfiction book is written by Stephen Turnbull, a noted military historian. I haven't reviewed many samurai books so I thought I'd take it home and give it a go. Confession time - I find... Continue Reading →
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