Wind Chimes

The Beginning of my Summer Trip

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August 7th 2011
Last Friday I handed my annual leave form to my supervisor, he gave me this strange look. Was he envious? surprised? I still can not tell what Japanese people are thinking sometimes... I'm lucky that in Japan I am a gaijin and don't need to feel guilty about taking day offs. So my two-week summer vacation has begun. Our first trip was to Kinosaki onsen. Where to go was really not a big ... read more

Asia » Japan » Hyogo

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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