Japan 2015: Tokushima

March 20, 2016, 12:20 pm

≫ Next: Book Review: Eco Living Japan by Deanna MacDonald

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And so my journey continued! On Monday 7th December, working now rather than holidaying, I took the bus from Kobe across Awaji Island (淡路島) to Tokushima (徳島). This was my first time to visit any part of Shikoku (四国), and I have to say I was pretty excited! The journey across Awaji Island was stunning! … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Eco Living Japan by Deanna MacDonald

March 27, 2016, 10:16 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Takamatsu

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Ever since watching the Grand Designs episode about the Japanese-style house in Monmouthshire, east Wales (and possibly for a long time before that), I’ve dreamt of having my own, beautifully designed Japanese house here in the UK. (I’ve just discovered that this property is actually available to rent for holidays now and have started dreaming … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Takamatsu

April 3, 2016, 10:28 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Naoshima – The Art Island

≪ Previous: Book Review: Eco Living Japan by Deanna MacDonald

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It was Tuesday 8th December when I arrived in Takamatsu (高松), Kagawa Prefecture (香川県). I was immediately hit by what a beautiful, clean city it seemed to be, and thrilled to see the blue sky was following me on my journey. After a morning of hotel visits and work things, I set off to explore … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Naoshima – The Art Island

April 10, 2016, 9:45 am

≫ Next: 360° BOOK: Mount Fuji (富士山) and Snow White (白雪姫)

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Takamatsu

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Wednesday 9th December was to be one of the absolute highlights of my trip to Japan. Naoshima (直島), the ‘art island’ in the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海) is now one of my favourite places in Japan, without a doubt. It’s gorgeous. I arrived on the island fairly early having taken the ferry from Takamatsu, and took … Continue reading →

360° BOOK: Mount Fuji (富士山) and Snow White (白雪姫)

April 16, 2016, 10:14 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Kotohira

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Naoshima – The Art Island

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I recently had the pleasure of receiving some sample copies of one of Seigensha Art Publishing‘s latest offerings: 360° BOOK. These two books, Mount Fuji (富士山) and Snow White (白雪姫), are really fun, beautiful books, and they would make great gifts. Seigensha say of this series: The 360° BOOK is a new revolutionary format that enables the … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Kotohira

April 24, 2016, 11:32 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Spirited Away in Matsuyama

≪ Previous: 360° BOOK: Mount Fuji (富士山) and Snow White (白雪姫)

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It may be the end of April, and the cherry blossom has been and gone in most parts of Japan, but I’m still thinking about last autumn! On 10th December I continued my journey in Shikoku and travelled to Kotohira (琴平), where I would spend one night. Kotohira is a small town in Kagawa Prefecture … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Spirited Away in Matsuyama

May 1, 2016, 10:32 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Hiroshima

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Somehow it’s May, and I’m still writing about December! It was Friday 11th December when I arrived in Matsuyama (松山) in Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県). I was excited to be there, and excited to finally be having a two night stay in my busy trip where I had been hopping from one destination to another. Matsuyama … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Hiroshima

May 2, 2016, 2:13 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Miyajima

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Spirited Away in Matsuyama

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Moving on from Matsuyama and back to the mainland, on Sunday 13th December I took the ferry to Hiroshima (広島), one of my favourite cities in Japan. I don’t know what it is about Hiroshima, and I’ve only been there a few times before, but I absolutely love it. It’s a well-designed city, and I like … Continue reading →

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Japan 2015: Miyajima

May 2, 2016, 3:02 am

≫ Next: Book Review: Dharma Delight by Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Hiroshima

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I had only been to Miyajima (宮島) once before, on 27th March 2006. Miyajima, the popular name of the island Itsukushima (厳島), is a small island in the Inland Sea, just off the coast of Hiroshima. I remember liking Miyajima, but I also remember dashing about like a mad thing because I had travelled from … Continue reading →

Book Review: Dharma Delight by Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat

May 8, 2016, 9:38 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Tomonoura – A Port Town that Leads to Chance Encounters

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Miyajima

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In Dharma Delight, abstract artist and Zen practitioner Rodney Greenblat uses light-hearted narrative and vivid pop art paintings to celebrate the joys of living life from the inside out. Part graphic guide, part personal testimony, part art book, Dharma Delight illustrates how seeking the path of compassion and acceptance can be as zany and exuberant … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Tomonoura – A Port Town that Leads to Chance Encounters

May 15, 2016, 1:12 pm

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Okayama

≪ Previous: Book Review: Dharma Delight by Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat

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It was Tuesday 15th December when I found myself getting spirited away once more and having a real adventure. After taking the ferry from Miyajima to Miyajima-guchi, the train to Hiroshima, and a bullet train to Fukuyama, I then took a bus in to what felt like the middle of nowhere, to Tomonoura (鞆の浦). Tomonoura … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Okayama

May 22, 2016, 9:27 am

≫ Next: Book Review: Smiling Sushi Roll by Tama-chan

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Tomonoura – A Port Town that Leads to Chance Encounters

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On Wednesday 16th December I took the train to my next stop – Okayama (岡山). Funnily enough, Okayama is somewhere I had always been curious about, as I almost ended up living there. When I decided to leave Nagoya after two years and move to a new location in Japan I wanted to move to … Continue reading →

Book Review: Smiling Sushi Roll by Tama-chan

May 29, 2016, 2:52 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Kurashiki

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Okayama

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With Smiling Sushi Roll lunch can resemble great works of art, like Munch’s “The Scream,” and Rodin’s “The Thinker.” In this unique and humorous sushi book, illustrator and maki artist Tama-chan (Takayo Kiyota) shows how basic ingredients like rice, seaweed, pickles, and cucumber can be used like paint and ink to create maki that is … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Kurashiki

May 29, 2016, 5:16 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Mount Shosha

≪ Previous: Book Review: Smiling Sushi Roll by Tama-chan

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Can I just start this post by saying I adore Kurashiki (倉敷)! Kurashiki is somewhere I had wanted to go for quite a long time, and I was so please to have the chance to squeeze it in to my holiday last year. I visited as a day trip between a night in Okayama and … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Mount Shosha

June 5, 2016, 9:56 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Himeji

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Kurashiki

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On Friday 18th December I set off on a mission. My plan was to visit Mount Shosha (書写山), the site of the temple Engyoji (円教寺) which was partially used in the filming of the Last Samurai. (I know, I know, most of it was filmed in New Zealand, some people really don’t like this movie … Continue reading →

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Japan 2015: Himeji

June 12, 2016, 10:59 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: A night out in Tokyo (featuring the Robot Restaurant)

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Mount Shosha

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After returning from my Mount Shosha adventure on 18th December I decided to explore Himeji a bit more, and went in search of some kind of reward for my morning’s efforts. I soon found what I was looking for: Jidai Cafe. Jidai Cafe is a tacky tourist trap of a cafe serving ninja themed food, … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: A night out in Tokyo (featuring the Robot Restaurant)

June 19, 2016, 9:35 am

≫ Next: When Marnie Was There (思い出のマーニー)

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: Himeji

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Visiting the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku’s Kabuki-cho is one of the most touristy things I have ever done in Japan, and it was exactly as I expected it would be. The Robot Restaurant is a bonkers creation. It is neither restaurant nor particularly full of robots in the traditional sense. Instead, what is offered is … Continue reading →

When Marnie Was There (思い出のマーニー)

June 19, 2016, 10:51 am

≫ Next: Step Inside Japan

≪ Previous: Japan 2015: A night out in Tokyo (featuring the Robot Restaurant)

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Yesterday I went to see the latest Studio Ghibli film, When Marnie Was There (思い出のマーニー) (2014), directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (米林 宏昌). Yonebayashi also directed the Studio Ghibli film Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ) (one of my favourites), and both films are based on British books. When Marnie Was There is based on the children’s book of the … Continue reading →

Step Inside Japan

June 25, 2016, 9:25 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: Birthday Celebrations at DisneySea!

≪ Previous: When Marnie Was There (思い出のマーニー)

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I’m incredibly proud to say that InsideJapan Tours, the travel company I work for, has recently released a stunning interactive website which allows you to explore the wonderful country of Japan, and here it is… Step Inside Japan! Step Inside Japan encourages the user to ‘explore’ Japan by scrolling across the country and clicking on … Continue reading →

Japan 2015: Birthday Celebrations at DisneySea!

June 25, 2016, 11:22 am

≫ Next: Japan 2015: All The Kit Kats!

≪ Previous: Step Inside Japan

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And so the final day of my 2015 Japan trip came. 20th December – my birthday – and I was determined to celebrate in style! That morning I woke up to the most gorgeous view of Mount Fuji as the sun rose above the harbour – what an incredible start to the day! I met … Continue reading →