High fire Tobeyaki and high flying Uchiko kites March 17th 2007 So back in March, I forgot to mention one of the most memorable free tours I have had yet in Japan. Mike and I joined an EPIC (Ehime Prefectural Information Center) tour offered to foreigners living in Ehime. They provide these tours for free to get us out and about more (knowing not many of us own cars) and to explore the surrounding areas. Our tour started with a visit to the Tobeyaki pottery f ... read more
Asia » Japan » Ehime » Matsuyama In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more
Having never visited Japan before, making the move for an entire year was very intimidating. I had no idea what to expect, much less an understanding of the language or culture. These barriers have been slowly fading, and I have found the Japanese people to be amazingly accomodating. The term *Minnesota nice* must now be applied to an entire country!... full info