Tokyo is a bustling city of almost 14 million people! With so many people compacted on an island, there is little space. The pace of life is fast, living quarters are small and close together. Most Japanese people work long days. Stress is very high, and extra time is very precious. Even if people wanted […]
In Tokyo there are two Disney parks – Disneyland and Disney Sea. Bethany had a day off teaching school, so she joined Caitlyn and I at Disney Sea. Caitlyn lives in California, so she has been to Disneyland a lot, which is why we picked Disney Sea! There are seven themed “ports of call” at Disney Sea […]
While in Okinawa we had the unique opportunity to go snorkeling. Caitlyn and I both had never been snorkeling, so it was a bit daunting to try it, but at the same time fun! Our friends took us to a beach on the East China Sea so we could practice swimming in the ocean and using […]
Okinawa is a lovely tropical island which is very far south of Japan. Caitlyn and I flew to Naha Airport in Okinawa from Tokyo which was a 2 ½ hour flight. Taking a boat would’ve taken about half a day, and since it’s in the ocean, there aren’t exactly any trains that we could take. […]
One of the great things about being in Japan is riding on all the various trains. With 30 million people in and around Tokyo, there needs to be a quick, efficient mode of transportation for a lot of people! The trains meet that need! Of course, it’s not just Tokyo that has all the trains, […]
Futami jowa is a famous folk song written in 1945 at the close of World War II. An Okinawan couple had to vacate their home shortly before the end of the war and eventually settled in Futami. They decided to write a song about their new home and dreams of their life together The song […]
Hiroshima was our next destination. We took a taxi from the train station, and fortunately our driver spoke very good English. He was helpful in suggesting what transportation to take and sites to see in the area. He was a very welcoming, gave us a detailed map of Hiroshima, and dropped us off […]
Kyushu, the 3rd largest island in the southwestern part of Japan was our next destination. We met Yoshi and Akiko at the train station that morning, and we all rode the shinkansen to the city of Kokura. It took several train changes and about 6 hours to get to Kokura. Yoshi has a friend who […]
Caitlyn and I took the Yamagata Shinkansen (bullet train) to Yamagata City from Tokyo. Traveling at 186 miles per hour, it is a 2 1/2 hour ride on the speedy train to the city of Yamagata which is home of the largest festival for the “flower hat song”, Hanagasa Ondo. The song originated in a […]
When we put out the recycling we feel like we’re changing the world for the better, patting ourselves on the back for separating out the glass, plastics, and paper. If you’re in a bigger city area, this is a difficult task, and it’s hard to keep up with. In Japan however, you don’t really have […]
Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for over 1000 years. It is home to thousands of beautiful temples, shrines and historical sights. Kyoto is the best preserved historical city in Japan, making it a wonderful place to go sightseeing, which we did plenty of! (more…)
Immersion is honestly the best way to learn a different culture. Just go for it, make mistakes and learn from them! I am so thankful that Caitlyn is with me to make this jubilant journey through Japan. On Thursday, June 16 our destination was the Sanno Festival held at the Hie shrine in Tokyo. The […]