Posts Tagged "#JapanLife"

Finding Rainbows in Tokyo

Posted on Apr 2, 2011 in Social Media, Solo with Others | 0 comments

Drag-Geisha in Tokyo

“Gay-dar” seems to work in every country. Using his to guide us through Tokyo’s streets, my traveling companion Matt led us to the center of the city’s small, yet lively gay quarter called Shinjuku-ni-chome, commonly referred to as Ni-chome. As if reaching a mountain summit and basking in his achievement, Matt placed his hands on his hips and confidently declared, “We’re here.”

It could have been his gay-dar which led us or it could have been all the rainbow flags and stickers posted in many of the windows indicating the gay quarter. Either way, we were “here.”

Blog4Japan: Resources to Support Japan

Posted on Mar 31, 2011 in Cool Stuff Others are Doing, Social Media | 1 comment

I  hope you’ve been enjoying my recent posts about personal experiences in Japan and hope it provides a slice of Japanese life. While I’ve been suggesting donating to the American Red Cross to support recovery efforts in Japan, I’d like to share information from fellow travel blogger Todd of Todd’s Wanderings. He’s initiated Blog4Japan for bloggers to raise awareness about the earthquake and tsunami.

Todd was in Tokyo visiting his wife’s family on March 11, 2011, day of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and watched Mother Nature’s fury unfold thanks to television. Todd shares the experience in this post. He and his wife are professional aid and recovery workers for the United Nations and have compiled a list of reliable agencies to donate funds to assist Japanese citizens recover from this horrific event.  The following is being re-posted from Todd’s blog.

Wordless Wednesday: Flavors of Japan

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 in Culinary Travel, Snapshots, Solo with Others | 0 comments

Food is an important part of travel and during my Fall 2004 trip to Japan, I certainly had my fair share of common and odd bites. Following is a snapshot of my culinary journey through Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures.

Seeing Monkeys in Japan’s Hell’s Valley

Posted on Mar 29, 2011 in Solo with Others | 0 comments

Monkeys Pose for Matt

Landing in Japan, my traveling companion Matt and I were on a mission. Forget majestic Mt. Fuji and the sacred Buddhist temples. We wanted to see the Japanese Macaque monkeys of Hell’s Valley.

When we constantly brought up our desire to see monkeys to our Japanese hosts, we were asked, “Why?”  One host warned, “They are mean.”

Facing Uncomfortable Questions in Hamamatsu

Posted on Mar 28, 2011 in Solo Adventures | 1 comment

Making Friends in Hamamatsu, Japan

“She owns a piano bar,” the Japanese homestay coordinator told me. Anxiously, I sat in the hotel lobby, fidgeting and wondering where my hostess was.

As soon as I felt like an abandoned child, a woman confidently walked into the lobby. Her glittery gold top sparkled with each step and black leather pants showed off her petite frame. I knew she was my hostess.

We exchanged pleasantries and I read the note she handed me. In English she had written how her piano bar and wedding planning business were based at the Grand Hotel Hamamatsu. Because her apartment was so small and much of her time was spent at the Grand Hotel, I would spend the week there as her guest.