I’ve lived in Japan off and on for over 11 years now and have seen and answered a lot of questions about visiting Japan in that time. Of course, in the months leading up to April, most of the questions revolve around visiting Japan during hanami season. I’ve offered up a lot of advice to many different people on a…
The not-so-gentle rocking of the train curved along the single track, following the S-shaped route of the river parallel to it. As I rocked back in forth in my seat, the train ride towards Matsue was a gentle reminder that I was leaving city life behind me. I could barely make out the low, rolling mountains on either side of…
You live in Kyoto? How wonderful. You’re so lucky. I’ve always wanted to live in a city like Kyoto… Me too. It’s a strange experience, living in a place that is very well worn on the tourist trail. I’ve visited (and loved) New York, London, Paris, and have lived in some moderately well-known cities too (Hiroshima, Toronto). Once I started…
Keage Station. It’s quiet, empty. I am the only person to have gotten off the train. The subway tracks are located deep beneath the ground and it’s just me and the silent hum of the escalators as they carry me upwards past pictures of the stars of the local zoo. I emerge into the dark, slick streets in front of…
“You wanna guide?” “No, choose me!” “I’m the best one – you come with me!” As my friends and I were walking up the path to the Angkor temple of Preah Khan, a gaggle of boys came running down, each trying to get one of us to agree to his particular guiding services. My friends graciously rejected their sincere offers…
A small chain of islands dot the Pacific Ocean south from Kyushu to Okinawa. At about the halfway point lies Amami Island and nearby, like a forgotten smaller sibling, is the island of Kikai. One December morning, somewhere on Kikai Island, three girls go for a walk to the beach. They decide to take a break and have a snack…
Do you ever feel that it’s too late to visit some places that have become overly popular? I just recently read an article about visiting Angkor Wat (for the first-time tourist), and while it explained a lot about the site itself, it conveniently omitted the realities of what it means to visit that complex (and the area in general). I…
Falling Off the Map 