October 2025 We started in Tokyo, a city so bright, Imperial Palace gleaming in light. We strolled palace gardens with proper grace, Till we lost half the group — “Wrong exit, wrong place!” We learned to remove shoes — in every location, From temples to toilets — a true shoe Read more
October 2025
One gets distracted by the talk of bullet trains, temples, history and the courtesy of Japan. Found within this mix is an assortment of oddities that may only be found among the Japanese. These make me like the country all the more.
(more…)13 – 14 October 2025
The traditional shukubō lodging offers rest, meditation, dining on shōjin ryōri Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, and the opportunity to join in the religious life. I’ve enjoyed rest and veggies, now comes my test. This morning, I am asked to rise early “to enjoy a morning prayer service with the monks.” My iPhone reads 6:30 am.
(more…)12 October 2025
Every day in Japan feels like stepping into a new adventure, full of surprises and discoveries about its history and culture. The country never ceases to amaze me; the old adage of “something old, something new” doesn’t quite fit here. Everywhere I look, Japan radiates the depth of its old traditions, the enduring beauty of its history, and the timelessness of its cultural heritage.
I wonder how the modern Japanese teenager feels about this? Their world is one of technology, pop culture, and fashion. Their perspective of old and new might contrast differently than how a visitor sees it. Do they truly appreciate the temples and ancient traditions or are they simply beautiful places to hang out with friends? Do they prefer a Starbucks over a tea house?
(more…)11 October 2025
We visit a food market at the train station where we buy a bento: a chicken box lunch. We pay with our Icoca rail card. Our Shinkansen departs Hiroshima on the minute and speeds us in an easterly direction to Kyoto. There, we transfer to a local train to Nara. Our Nara hotel has been upgraded to the Marriott.
10 October 2025
From my window, the modern port city of Hiroshima stretches before me. A landscape of high-rises, tree tops, and wind streets framed by green mountains to the north and the wide expanse of Hiroshima Bay to the south. It saddens me that for most of the world, Hiroshima is remembered only as the first city to suffer the devastation of an atomic bomb. Or, perhaps, this symbolizes its true purpose.
(more…)10 Oct 2025
Today is a day for reliving history. To appreciate what I will visit later, I need to review what historians have learned and disclosed about the causations and events of 6 August 1945.
I have studied history for most of my life. Every opportunity, I will visit a museum or historical source in order to make history come alive and off the written page. I have toured WWI and WWII sites from The Battle of the Bulge and Argonne and throughout Normandy. I never miss a chance to broaden my knowledge and understanding about what causes Man to war against Man. Today, I will refresh my memory about Hiroshima.
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