Tea in the Ryokan!

Last Stop....Japan!

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May 27th 2008
We flew from Beijing to Hong Kong to Osaka starting at 3.30am and settling into bed at midnight! Arriving in Osaka, we made our way by train and subway to our hostel for the night. It was a 'business hotel' Japanese style so the room was tiny and we were sleeping on Tatami mats with a bean bag pillow! I was suprised to learn that the communal bathrooms were really just that! The females and males ... read more

Asia » Japan » Kyoto » Kyoto

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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