On the tracks to Mount Koya
We headed out of Tokyo first thing in the morning. Took the bullet train to Osaka and then made our way south to Mount Koya (Koya-san – 高野山), in Wakayama Prefecture. The final leg was a cable car to...
View ArticleMount Koya (高野山)
Koya-san (Mount Koya) was founded 12 centuries ago by the monk Kukai as a place dedicated to the study and practice of Buddhism. Its been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. There are over 100...
View ArticleWakayama City (和歌山市)
We stayed overnight in Wakayama City – it rained heavily which made for an interesting walk to dinner. The next morning, we took a walk to Wakayama Castle before catching the ferry to Tokushima. The...
View ArticleTokushima Seafood Lunch
At Wakayama City, we met up with friends, who drove from Tokyo. Together we caught the ferry to Tokushima City, on the the island of Shikoku. The ferry from Wakayama to Tokushima is 2 hours. The...
View ArticleTokushima Awa Odori Pt. 1 (徳島阿波踊り)
Summer in Tokushima, on the island of Shikoku, is famous for the Awa Odori Matsuri- the Awa Dance Festival. The festival is held over 4 days during Obon (お盆), one of the 3 major holidays in Japan. The...
View ArticleMeandering Tokushima
An early morning walk in Tokushima City. Traveling around the island of Shikoku with a soccer mom’s bike Filed under: Japan, Photography, Shikoku, travel Tagged: shikoku, Tokushima
View ArticleAround Tokushima
One of my wife’s best friends lives in a very traditional Japanese house in rural Tokushima on the island of Shikoku. It features an impressive hatched roof – that has to get re-roofed every 10 years...
View ArticleTokushima Awa Odori Pt. 2 (徳島阿波踊り)
More from the Awa Odori in Tokushima. First love Zombies! There are several well-known dance troupes such as the Ahou-Ren (阿呆連) and many amateur troupes, such as from a company, college, or...
View ArticleIsland hopping by train – Shikoku to Kyushu
My wife drags me out of bed at our hotel in Tokushima early in the morning declaring we’re going to Kyushu. We catch a train from Tokushima back to the main island of Honshu. From Okayama, we catch...
View ArticleUsuki (臼杵), a town in Kyushu
We spend a few hours in Usuki on the island of Kyushu. Its an old castle town known for Buddhas sculptures carved into the natural cliffs during the 12th century. My wife had seen these carvings a...
View ArticleMeandering Fukuoka (福岡)
Fukuoka is the largest city on the island of Kyushu and ranked as the 12th most livable city in the world by Monocle Magazine. Fukuoka is also known for its outdoor food stalls (yatai) area along the...
View ArticleLooking out from the bullet train
As the world passes by at 300kph (180mph) – bit of an experiment. Filed under: Japan, trains, travel
View ArticleA Carlsbad Christmas sunset
A beautiful sunset on Christmas day in Carlsbad – the colors in the after show were stunning. Speaking of Carlsbad – 遼、西海岸にも豪邸 Pelicans and dolphins (you’ll have to look hard for the dolphins) Filed...
View ArticleMenu? You have to catch you own food…
At the Zauo Restaurant, a chain, you have to catch your own fish. Once you’ve caught your fish, you can have it prepared as sashimi, grilled, or fried. We visited the restaurant outside Nagoya. Its a...
View ArticleStrolling Nagoya
A stroll through Nagoya from a few months ago. Mini me Filed under: Japan, Nagoya, Photography
View ArticleHonolulu Winter
A few days in Honolulu. Locals were complaining it was cold but to us it was warm and comfortable. If you don’t…wear a seat belt? Rice ball from Iyasume Morning traffic Filed under: Honolulu,...
View ArticleTo Whistler and Back
Whistler ski trip.. iPad nation… Filed under: Photography, ski trips, Whistler
View ArticleRandom Tokyo Street
Random shots from last year. Bureaucrats Moon girl Locked out of the Budokan Filed under: Japan, Photography, Tokyo
View ArticleMid-Century Modern Japanese Style
Built in 1962, the lobby of the Hotel Okura in Tokyo mixes Japanese motifs with mid-century modern architecture. Tortoise shell pattern ceiling above. Even the chairs in the lobby are arranged in a...
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