Women in Kimono's enjoying the cherry blossom

Happy Birthday to Me in Kyoto :)

---

April 3rd 2006
So, on the 3rd of April I turned a quarter of a century! It was a beautiful day in Kyoto that day. For my birthday Andy had booked a night at a japanese ryokan - which is a traditional japanese inn. It was a both a really nice and different experience. There is no permanent bed as such. There is a main room and a small sitting room. The main room has TV and for most of the day just a table and cus ... read more

Asia » Japan » Kyoto

---

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