7:30 am and the alarm clock is going off. Why is the alarm going off? Oh yeah, I have to catch an early train to Takase for an udon making class. Geez, I shouldn’t have gone out drinking last night. Toss on some clothes. Search for my keys and out the door. Never been to Takase before and I didn’t expect the train ride to be so much fun. The fields were all being plowed for or planted with rice turning the countryside into a giant patchwork of large puddles of water with bright green sprouts. Rice season in Japan isn’t [View Full Entry]

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Who wouldn’t want to live in a city with its own castle? ^_^ Everyday when I go outside I see it and I smile. Near the end of Golden Week the city holds a festival on the castle grounds on Saturday and Sunday. Primarily the festival consists of stalls selling food and various goods lining every path and street in the area. On the street in front of the castle moat they had a parade during the day and a strange dragon dancing and taiko drumming competition. Two people are in a dragon costume and they make it shake, bounce, twist [View Full Entry]

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Okay, Okay I know it seemed like I didn’t really like this place from my first blog and truth be told I didn’t. However, every time I visit the city it grows on me a little more. It is kind of like that misfit abstract painting in your friend’s apartment that you slowly become found of. Anyway, back at Osaka Castle and there is another protest next to it! This time it is some sort of labor union protest. All I could gather from it before wandering off was someone bellowing on a loud speaker about how national health care should [View Full Entry]

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Itsukushima, or popularly known as Miyajima (shrine island) is home to Itsukushima Shrine a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The shrine is built on boardwalks and during high tide appears to be floating on water. The giant red torii (gate) with Mt.Misen in the background is considered to be one of the three best views in Japan. Besides stunning views and a beautiful temple, Miyajima hosts a population of tame deer and wild monkeys and has a long ropeway up the mountain. After some souvenir browsing, oyster sampling and typical tourist shoots with the torii we decided to climb up Mt. Misen. [View Full Entry]

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In 2006 I visited Hiroshima for the first time. After only a couple of days there the city had left enough of an impression on me that it was one of the two places in Japan I requested to live. I didn’t get to live there, but I was lucky enough to visit again with more time to spare. This time I was able to check out the downtown, Hiroshima Castle and the Peace Museum, all of which I missed before. I love Hiroshima. The city is aesthetically pleasing to me and I have always found the people to be upbeat, [View Full Entry]

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I have no qualms in admitting that this was my third visit to Ritsurin Park. It is such a beautiful park. Plus it constantly changes all the time with a variety blossoms or plants in different months displaying all their wonders. As it turns out the museum in the park also rearranges its exhibit often so you can enjoy visit it as well time and time again. ^_^ [View Full Entry]

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In Japan there are temples on main streets, in back alleys, next to the ocean and in the mountains. Kotohira is a mountain temple and is generally referred to as Kompira-san. Located on the side of Mount Zozu the temple has 785 steps to the main shrine and 1,368 steps to the inner shrine. Kotohira city has a calm old feeling that I associate with Nara or Kyoto. Perhaps this feeling stems from the narrow roads and city layout. Or maybe it is because the road that leads up the mountain turns into a street full of souvenir shops. The sides [View Full Entry]

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If you could describe a perfect day, what would it include? For me; sun, a cool breeze, pink blossoms falling around you like rain, laughter, good conversation, new friends, tasty food, plenty of drink, fun, games, goldfish and the undeniable feeling of new beginnings brought by spring. This is Hanami. Spring is an important season in Japan and considered by most to be the best season. People get together during the short week that the cherry blossoms(sakura) are blooming and have picnics. I was lucky enough to get many invitations to Hanami parties (literally means hana - flower, mi - vie [View Full Entry]

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The 20th of March was the first day of spring and a national holiday in Japan. I was already going to be in Osaka on the 19th for a business meeting so I decided I would stay over for a night. When my meeting ended I headed for the hostel I booked on the other side of town. Of course it was rainy, dark and cold outside. The directions that I was given said that the building was down the street from the Mr. Donuts outside Fukushima station. I only got lost 3 times, which was lucky since there are 3 [View Full Entry]

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Warmer weather was finally starting to show its face in Shikoku and I headed out to Takamatsu for the day. A few sources had stated that the plum blossoms in Ritsurin Park were blooming and worth the trip to see. The park is easy to find in Takamatsu. You just head down Chuo Dori (Central Street) from the station and it is on the left. It is the largest traditional Japanese Garden I’ve seen so far. It has a museum of Japanese traditional art, a gift shop, at least two tea houses and several ponds. According to my map it takes [View Full Entry]

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