First Course

Wedding Weekend: A 13 Hour Party

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March 15th 2007
As promised, here are some photos from the wedding reception I attended on Saturday. In many ways it was similar to a Western reception; it was held in Kagoshima’s swanky Hotel Welview and consisted of an 8-course traditional Japanese dinner, a beautiful cake and copious amounts of champagne, beer and shochu (the drink of choice down here, made with fermented sweet potatoes). Everyone was seat ... read more

Asia » Japan » Kagoshima » Shibushi

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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