In A Japanese Country Garden

Posted by on Nov 9, 2011 in Okayama, Travel Volunteer Journey | 4 Comments
In A Japanese Country Garden

A lifetime ago we were in the city of Kanazawa. It was a hot day, there was a TV crew, and a small crowd of strangers eyeing each other with suspicion poorly disguised as casual politeness. Later that day we were all to endure the tension of the selection process, but at this time, we ...

Nara Say Nara Again

Posted by on Nov 1, 2011 in Nara, Travel Volunteer Journey | 2 Comments
Nara Say Nara Again

…It bit me! At least I thought it did. There was definitely a flash of teeth. Were my jeans wet with the monster’s drool? It was hard to tell, but still: the horror! We shuffled off, a good deal perturbed by the experience, and after that avoided the unrelenting deer. Rather than contemplate the world’s ...

TwiTrip – Nagoya

Posted by on Oct 26, 2011 in Aichi, Travel Volunteer Journey | 2 Comments
TwiTrip – Nagoya

So for those who missed it, here’s a quick round-up of what we did today on our TwiTrip around Nagoya. All day we darted around the city, checking out suggestions tweeted to us by our Twitter followers. 10am – Made our way over to Nagoya Castle, as suggested by @InsideJapan. It was a brilliantly sunny ...

The Dear Green Places

Posted by on Oct 11, 2011 in Tokyo, Travel Volunteer Journey | 4 Comments
The Dear Green Places

Tokyo might be full to bursting with people, and real estate may be eye-wateringly high, but the city has done an admirable job of defending its green spaces. With almost 40 parks and gardens, if you look hard enough its still possible to find a bit of peace, enjoy a cool drink under a tree, ...

How Much Wood Would A Woodchuck Chuck?

Posted by on Sep 24, 2011 in Aomori, Travel Volunteer Journey | One Comment
How Much Wood Would A Woodchuck Chuck?

I’ve always admired Japanese products. More often than not, they’ve got an elegance to them, a tactility that makes them a pleasure to use. I remember the first day I saw a Sony Playstation. It had been imported to a shop in my home town early, of the European release. The graphics were, of course, ...