The last gate

A Castle on a Hill

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September 25th 2013
I slept in longer than I intended to on Wednesday, so I missed breakfast at the hotel. No matter, I was heading off on my first rail day trip so I grabbed some sushi and sandwiches (in case I didn’t like the convenience store sushi) to eat on the train. First task though, was to pick up my rail pass. It all went smoothly, and it was a simple enough to find the next train to Hikone. Both su ... read more

Asia » Japan » Shiga » Hikone

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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