Monkey Goes to Japan
It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to. - Bilbo Baggins, Fellowship of the Ring …
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Japan
40 posts tagged with this topic.
My favourite trains (so far)
I rarely remember my dreams. I have to wake up in the middle of them to remember what they were about, and quite often I’m so tired that by the time I can get my mental faculties together to try and remember the dream, I …
Why the right tools matter
A few years ago, I went off to Japan to visit my friend Chris. I took along my (at the time) fancy digital camera: a Canon Pro 90 IS. Fancy in that it was big mega-pixels (for the time) and had an image stabiliser …
Things seen along the way
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Things seen along the way.] As we’ve moved along over this journey, I’ve taken pictures of things for posting to the blog. Some of them didn’t make it, for one reason or …
The view in Osaka
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The view in Osaka.] Nothing like a little wandering around to make things interesting. I’ve been to Osaka once before — a few hours last year, when Jen and I came here. …
Nara is neat
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Nara is neat.] The last time I was in Japan (a little over a year ago), I’d wanted to go to Nara. I’d quite a bit about it, but just hadn’t gotten the chance to go. So …
Ohio, Nippon!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Ohio, Nippon!.] Last country. Almost home. Being in Japan, actually, is almost like being home. This country is so familiar to me (well, certainly Yotsukaido, Chiba, and …
Turning Japanese Again, Returning to Canada
I can’t even call this a “last day”. Yesterday, really, was our last day. Today is the packing/travelling day. And the day to say goodbye to dear friends. I hate leaving friends behind. Chris is one of my …
Turning Japanese Again, Tsukiji Market
Why had I gone to Shinagawa to kill time? Simply put, it was far enough away from Tsukiji that walking alone would eat up some time, but not so far that I would be exhausted by the time I got to my destination. I had …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Tokyo (more still)
We got up a bit later than I’d hoped for, mostly because I’d accidentally turned off the alarm instead of snoozing it. We took the first train we could get to into Tokyo. I stood, wedged in a space between the door and …
Turning Japanese Again, Kamakura
We were up a little earlier than the previous few days, so we could catch a good train out to Kamakura, our excursion for the day. Kamakura is a small town south of Tokyo, about an hour and three-quarters away from …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Tokyo (still)
The alarm went off early. Earlier than usual, anyway. Jen was still sleeping, so I thought I’d let her sleep a bit longer. But at 9:00, I got her going. Unforunately, Jen started off with a killer headache, so she didn’t …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Tokyo
The household woke up slowly. The events of last night had done us all in. Kaz and Chris were tired from all the attention they’d been getting. Jen and I were tired from all the things we’d done and drinks we’d had. As …
Turning Japanese Again, Reception Party in Chiba
We woke up several times this morning. Once when the phone rang (Mike and Brenda checking in on us), when Kaz and Chris’ new refrigerator showed up, when the phone rang a second time, and when the earthquake hit. And …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Tokyo
More tofu for breakfast. Blech. Well, not so much blech as bland and really not what I’d like to eat first thing in the morning. Jen didn’t eat much. Today we’re back to Tokyo (and Yotsukaido). But first, we wanted to do …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Osaka
We attempted to move a bit quicker this morning. The key word being “attempted”. The idea was to go to Osaka and do the touring thing. That meant we had to leave at a reasonable time so we could catch the …
Turning Japanese Again, Kyoto Nishi Honganji Temple
Today, we experienced what can only be the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced. The earthquake hit around 7:30, and shook the entire room. Jen and I leapt from bed, and I dragged her into one of the doorways — …
Turning Japanese Again, Kyoto Kiyomizu Temple
I was up long before I’d planned to be up. I’d wanted to try and sleep a bit more to get rest for the long day of walking ahead, but my body said it was time to rise, and so it did. Besides, the racket of Kyoto on the …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Kyoto
We woke before 8:00 this morning, expecting breakfast. At least, that was the time they put on the reservation notice I got from the guest house reservation service. We didn’t eat until about 8:30, though, which was …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Hiroshima
No hangovers. This was a good way to start the day, even if it was a lot earlier than Jen really would have liked. (Mind you, Jen likes noon as a wake-up time.) It was warm in the room. The Japanese seem to like it warm. …
Turning Japanese Again, Chris and Kaz's Wedding
I woke just before sunrise. I probably should have gotten up to look around, but decided that I’d rather sleep a bit more. I had a sneaky suspicion that it was going to be a long day. I woke again around 7:00, when my …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Toyohashi and Irako
I slept a little oddly, considering we’d been up for over 24 hours straight. Woke up once around 3:00 (mostly to go to the bathroom), again at about 5:00, and finally at about 7:50. At that point, it was enough to say …
Turning Japanese Again, Flying to Japan
I slept like crap. And it wasn’t because I slept on the couch at Aunt Brenda and Uncle Mike’s last night. I’m certain it’s because of stress. Kind of ironic to have this crop up the night before I leave on vacation, eh? …
Planning for a Return Trip to Japan
Fourteen days, and counting. Two weeks from today, I’m off to Japan. Again. Relax, this isn’t going to turn into a yearly thing. If I’d had a choice, I’d probably be going to Australia this year, maybe New Zealand. But …
My Trip to Japan, returning home
When I finally arrived home from my stint with the CBC so many months ago, I was happy to be back. It will be nice to be home after my trip to Japan, even though it’s sad to leave it so soon. When I arrived almost two …
My Trip to Japan, Imperial Palace and Ueno Park
Today was my last full day in Japan. There was so much I still wanted to see and do. I couldn’t do everything … but I darn well tried! Chris had to work, so would stay behind in Yotsukaido. Kaz, her friend, …
My Trip to Japan, Yokohama
Another day, another adventure. Today, though, we would throw in a different nationality. We all rose at basically the same time and quickly prepared for our departure. We needed to be in Yokohama by about 10:30, which …
My Trip to Japan, Odaiba Seaside Park
Today was a good day. Not that other days have been bad by any means, but when you can sit back and reflect and feel really good — that’s a particularly good day. Chris was up early to meet Kaz at Tokyo station. We had …
My Trip to Japan, Harajuku and Shibuya
I think a good rule of thumb for how long you should stay in one place while on vacation is your comfort level. When you become too comfortable, you’ve stayed too long. I’ve become very comfortable with Tokyo. That’s not …
My Trip to Japan, Daihonzan Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
After a few days of non-stop touring, a slow day is much appreciated, even though it wasn’t planned that way. Chris was up before me, starting to clean up the apartment. It wasn’t messy by any means, but today we’re …
My Trip to Japan, Tsukiji Fish Market
The Japanese have borrowed many concepts of rail management from North America. For instance, you will generally see words like “rapid” or “limited express” when you see train listings. And you’ll …
My Trip to Japan, Shinkansen to Mount Fuji
We woke up relatively early this morning. For anyone on vacation, that’s before noon. For us, it was around 09:00. The goal today was Mount Fuji, about an hour south of Tokyo. An hour by bullet, that is. Following the …
My Trip to Japan, Akehabara and Shibuya
Today was a bit of a late start for us. Not for any particular reason, we just slept in a little bit. Today was Tokyo day. Sure, we’d been to Tokyo before for clubbing, but I didn’t really see much of Tokyo. It’s hard to …
My Trip to Japan, Tokyo and Shibuya
I’ve gone clubbing in Tokyo, and lived to tell about it. It’s an odd statement, I know, but allow me to explain. Chris and I didn’t have any real set plans. In fact, I didn’t really know what we were going to do until …
My Trip to Japan, Touring Chiba
By comparison with yesterday’s activities, it would appear that I slept the entire day away. For starters, I awoke after 10:00, the long day previous having sapped pretty much all my energy. Kaz was still here, but …
My Trip to Japan, Calgary to Yotsukaido
It hasn’t been that long since my last outing, but it’s time again for my next great adventure. This time, I’m leaving the continent for the first time in almost 14 years — I’m going to Japan. Chris is staying there …
Chris Goes to Japan ... the Second Time
Maybe this is forever, Forever fades away, Like a rocket ascending into space, Could you not be sad, Could you not break down, After all I won’t let go, Until you’re safe and sound. — “Safe and Sound”, …
Preparing to Move to Japan
Although it’s very tempting to say that it’s the beginning of the end — it wouldn’t really be appropriate. It’s no longer a guess, it’s not a possibility, it’s not even a plan anymore. It’s fact. Chris is going to Japan. …
Postponed Plans to go to Japan
About nine months ago, I arrived in Calgary without really too much of a clue of what I was going to do next. For most people, I guess it would be quite stressful (one person comes immediately to mind, though I try not …
Chris' Arrival in Calgary, Living with my Best Friend
My time here in Calgary is finite. I’m not staying here forever. Don’t get me wrong, I like this city — but there’s more to this planet than a single settlement near the foot of the Canadian Rockies. When I first arrived …