Osaka Castle

Konnichiwa Japan!

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October 28th 2008
Armed with our newly acquired Japan Rail Passes and plenty of snacks (Claire seems to have developed a monkey nut fetish on this part of the trip - she just won’t travel without them), we boarded the Su Zhou Hao ferry bound for Osaka. We were welcomed on board by smiley and efficient Japanese staff and shown to our spacious 4 berth cabin with tatami matted lounge and panoramic window, which we ... read more

Asia » Japan » Osaka

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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