Sōji-ji: A Night in a Zen Monastery
Staying the night with the generous Zen monks of Sōji-ji was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. There's sometimes advantages to showing up unannounced on bicycles.
What’s On the Bike? Nippon Style!
"I'd love to see you post on how to pack for a tour -- especially the clothing part. What works, what doesn't. I know that I tend to pack clothes that look good in only a narrow range of situations, but then again, I sleep in ditches." Ok, here's that post.
Off the bike in Kanazawa
Spared being flattened in World War Two and out on the edge of 'Japan' (as far as I can tell), Kanazawa is known as a "Little Kyoto". I haven't been to them all, so I can't say how apt this sobriquet is.
Thanks for Breakfast!
While I sip coffee, Vic earns the gratitude of the ladies who lunch. Or breakfast, as the case may be.
Rolling to the Noto Peninsula
Two days into our tour and we're over the spine of Japan ready for a ride along the sea.
The Kyoto Extension
"If we just stay one more day..." was our most common refrain in Kyoto, a city I very much felt engaged with.
Ojizo-ya: Our House in Kyoto
One reason we had a hard time leaving Kyoto was that we rented a great traditional house off of VRBO. What a swell way to stay in Kyoto!
Twenty Four Hours in Nara
Sacred deer, Japanese pizza, amazing sculpture along with really big and really old temples: Nara. Given short shift in the guidebooks, I would have gladly stayed a few more days.
This blog started, as many do, to keep the friends up to date while I was traveling. In my case, a long bike ride across Europe and move from Seattle to Boston in 2004.
