Laura From Berlin

Wow, it's been a while. Sorry that it has taken me so long to write again, but my last few days in Japan have been really busy. As I told you in my last entry, I was in central Honshu and travelled for a few days with my good friend Keiko. She arrived last Tuesday morning in Kanazawa by night bus. We got on another bus straight away, heading out to Shirakawa-go and Ainokura. Both are small villages in the area that are littered with old thatch-roofed houses. Most of the houses are at least 100 years old, many much older, and are brilliant architectural structures, as no nails were used during the construction process. They are also designed to withstand the heavy snowfall of the region, which is why the roofs are very steep (so ... read more

Today I am writing from Yakushima, a beautiful island south of Kyushu. Before I arrived here, I spent a couple of days in Hiroshima. For the first time since I arrived in Japan, it really rained hard while I was there. The family I stayed with for my first two nights was really lovely. The couple had a verysweet 12-year-old daughter and we all had lots of fun together. After arriving the previous night, my hostess Yuko took me to Miyajima on Saturday, a small island in Hiroshima bay. Although the weather wasn't great we saw the beautiful 'floating' tori gate. It's a huge red Shinto gate (usually found at the entrance to Shinto shrines) that stands in the middle of the ocean in front of Miyajima's main shrine, that also seems to be afloat, because ... read more

It's a very hot Sunday in Japan and I am writing from an internet cafe right next to Kyoto Station. It's my second day inh this amazing city and I am having a wonderful time. But before I tell you about the ancient capital, I'll talk a bit abut what I have been up to earlier this week. After coming back from Ishinomaki, I just needed to chill out for a bit. I stayed in Tokyo at my friend Keiko's for a few nights and had a great time with her and her family. Her and her parents actually managed to explain the rules of baseball to me, as the high school championship is going on in Japan right now and the games are on everywhere you go (including Keiko's living room!). It was a lot ... read more

Another blog entry about my time in Tokyo. I've been thinking about writing it for a while, but I am only getting around to it now. It's been a busy week. I am now sitting in an internet cafe about to leave for Tohoku. It's Friday night and we will be taking a night bus up there and then start working straight away once we arrive on Saturday morning. I have been preparing for the trip all weel, buying the necessary things. I am not sure to what extent I am prepared mentally, or what to expect, really. I just want to help. It's been reallu hot and humid here every day and I don't think that will be much different up north, so I am sure whatever we do will invlove a lot of sweating. ... read more

So, after coming home from an epic soccer/football game and seeing the Japanese team win, I figured it's time to write my first blog entry. Since I have never written a travel blog before, you must forgive me if it's not very interesting/good/whatever else you expected... Well, it's Sunday night and I am leaving to go to Japan on Wednesday morning. I am getting nervous and excited (and a little scared). I am also trying to think of everything I could possibly need in the next 2 months and I am not sure how well I am doing with that. At least I'll have some clothes, the Japan Rail Pass and some yen. So the basics are covered. I still have a really long to-do-list to work off these coming days, but at least the list ... read more