Where Globe-Trotting meets Beach-Combing
Chris: “We should have Japanese food for dinner.” Mari: “Want to try one of the restaurants around our house?” Chris: “No, I want to have it here.” Mari: “What? Why? Wait–you just got done saying you don’t even like much Japanese food.” Chris: “Well I want to have some and sit in the tatami room.”…
These Japanese vocab lessons I listen to have this pleasant Japanese lady’s voice come in every once in awhile and say in crisp, clipped English, “And here’s a little challenge for you: how do you tell the taxi driver, ‘Please take me to Tokyo?’” Then a voice that sounds like my brother, Simon, with a…
We were exploring Enoshima Island with some friends when we smelled some incense and heard some chanting. We decended down the stairs to the round Saikufuji Temple, or Enoshima Daishi, overlooking the Sagami-wan (bay), turned a corner, and found this Aji-kan Meditation mid-session. The fire burns at the feet of Fudo, a six-meter tall statue…
Touring in misty rain can’t be beat. The streets aren’t as crowded, colorful umbrellas pop up everywhere, and a cloud layer gives the day a timeless, ageless quality—the adventure could last forever. We were blessed with sunny weather most of our time in Kyoto, but the last day was dark and exciting, perfect for pagodas…
May turns out to be a great time to go to Kyoto. The Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Leaf festival, is one of Kyoto’s big three annual festivals and includes horse riding events and a parade that traditionally took rice and other thank-you gifts to the regional ruler to thank him for letting them do the…
This is one of those baby buggies I told you about, Mum! But this was just two babies, not the dozen babies stuffed into the more industrial day care buggies near my house. This mom in Kyoto saw me taking a picture and smiled and turned the buggy to face me, then bowed and thanked…
Myoshinji Temple complex includes this Taizoin Temple rock garden and meditation room as well as Shunkoin Temple, where we stayed. I got a separate brocade, accordion-fold calligraphy book for Kyoto because my Tokyo book is almost full already. I filled a page with calligraphy from the rock garden and another from Myoshinji’s main temple. The…
