In Yoshino By the mountains, the flowering Cherry blossoms: Simply for snow I did mistake them! Ki no Tomonori, from the Kokin Wakashū (c. 905) Of course I use “endless” in hyperbole, but looking at Mt. Yoshino from certain viewpoints would give you the impression that the crowds of cherry trees go on and on, down the other… Continue reading Visiting Mt. Yoshino and its endless cherry trees
Just a little ways off Kyoto is a small city called Uji, whose claim to fame is its green tea. More than the green tea, though, Uji has important cultural and historical significance. Being situated just south of Kyoto and north of Nara, Uji itself rose as a cultural center especially during the Heian period (794–1185)… Continue reading A Morning in Uji City
One of the things I love about going to another country is exploring its houses and temples of worship. (I have had some annoyed travel companions because of this in the past, when they can’t keep up with my desire to cover so much land in a day, even though the temples all look alike at… Continue reading Hase-dera and Kotoku-in: Two temples in Kamakura
Tokyo Day 3 Notes around 8:00 AM go to Shinjuku Sta., exit to Odakyu Line purchase Enoshima-Kamakura One-Day Free Pass (¥1,470 + ¥600 for upgrade to Limited Express “Romance Car”) 08:53 AM board the Odakyu Line Limited Express “Romance Car” for Katase-Enoshima around 10:00 AM arrival at Katase-Enoshima cross the causeway to the island go to Enoshima Shrine… Continue reading The Island of Enoshima in Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tokyo Day 2 Notes around 8:30 AM go to Ueno Sta. visit Ueno Zoo (admission: ¥300) alternative: Tokyo National Museum (admission: ¥300); temples (free) around 11:00 AM from Ueno Sta., take JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara (¥140) go crazy shopping and hunting for anime/manga-related stuff around 1:00 PM from Akihabara Sta., take JR Yamanote Line to Yurakucho… Continue reading Tokyo: From Akihabara to Roppongi, with the Imperial Palace and Ginza in between
For our first morning in Tokyo — our second day in the city — we went to the Ueno district. Edison and Angel came prepared, of course. Now, we had a choice between the Tokyo National Museum and Ueno Zoo. Now, as you will see, the idea of seeing pandas won. Our zoo visit was spent rushing… Continue reading Tokyo: A Morning at Ueno Zoo
It’s been so long since I last posted here, I know! I’m ashamed to say I haven’t gone traveling in these past few months as real life (whatever that means) has really taken over. I know I still have a lot of backlogs and I’ve been kind of lazy to update, but lately I’ve been told… Continue reading Tokyo: Asakusa and Sumida
It was a school day in January when Edison, Angel, and I went knocking on our respective classrooms’ doors because of, of all things, a Cebu Pacific seat sale. I didn’t even know where I really wanted to go — originally I’d considered Bali — until Edison said, “Tokyo na lang!” And after a bit… Continue reading Tokyo for Cheap: Backpacking Japan for five days with $400
Ang Lakwatserang Guro 