A farewell dinner for my friend Manami who moved to Osaka. (Mike, Manami's High school friend, me, Manami, Manami's sister and friend) So much for the translations at tea ceremony class...now I actually have to speak Japanese!
Big Red has a new friend January 28th 2007 My big red finally has a partner to ride with! Mike (now in Japan until April) bought his own big red and we spent the weekend biking to Imabari to be with friends (and for Mike to meet some new people outside of the old Japanese women he sees everyday in Hojo town). The first day was a bit cloudy and cold, but in all a great weekend. Now we rest our tired bones and load up all these pics. ... read more
Asia » Japan » Ehime » Matsuyama 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
Having never visited Japan before, making the move for an entire year was very intimidating. I had no idea what to expect, much less an understanding of the language or culture. These barriers have been slowly fading, and I have found the Japanese people to be amazingly accomodating. The term *Minnesota nice* must now be applied to an entire country!... full info