Rock-splitting cherry tree 1

Morioka

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May 13th 2010
Today I headed off to Iwate prefecture's capital, Morioka. This city is much bigger than Mizusawa or Hiraizumi and more used to foreigners, which meant that much more was written in Romaji (Japanese written phonetically in Roman letters) or in English. The journey itself was very picturesque, taking us through paddy fields and villages, with a stunning mountaineous backdrop. Morioka itself wa ... read more

Asia » Japan » Iwate » Morioka

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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