Posted World-class style in a small-town train station.
Category: Living
Hike into Clouds
Hiked into the clouds to the top of Yufusan, northern Kyushu. A good day.
No Hike Today
The rain was bouncing off the platform and I could hear thunder. I abandoned my hike and took the next train back.
Animatronic Hell
Painting of Buddhist hell, Daihonzan Naritasan Temple, Kurume, Japan. The things you learn when you travel. I had no idea there was a Buddhist hell. I first caught a whiff of it this week in Unzenonsen, Kyushu, Japan. Hydrogen sulphide, boiling water bubbling out the ground, steam. It was Buddhist monks, back in 701 AD, who…… Continue reading Animatronic Hell
Channeling Eva Gabor in Kirishima
As the floor plan shows, the lower levels of big Japanese resort hotels have something for everyone. Last week, in Kirishima, Kyushu, Japan, I walked through the hotel’s amusement area dressed in a yukata, clutching a towel, heading for the stairs to the outdoors hot springs. People were laughing and joking and drinking. Their…… Continue reading Channeling Eva Gabor in Kirishima
Channeling Eva Gabor
Posted Channeling Eva Gabor. Karaoke and worse.
Unzen-Amakusa National Park
Unzen-Amakusa National Park. Every time I saw a sign pointing to a peak, I climbed the peak.
The Joy of Bullet Trains
First bullet train ride on this trip. I’ve died and gone to heaven, or, Kumamoto. An official gave me some stickers.
Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park
Mount Ebinodake and Onami Pond.From where I’m sitting in my hotel room, I see steam vents, and can smell their sulfurous fumes. Further in the distance, over 20 miles further in the haze, is the unmistakable cone of Sakurajima, the massive, active volcano across the bay from Kagoshima, southern Japan. At night, I see the distant…… Continue reading Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park
It Takes a Village
Yesterday I was in such an intense conversation with Iris, thirtyish, from Switzerland, we almost missed the only bus from the trailhead that day. I get to meet fine people when hiking. These are people who put some effort into their travels. They discover and research trails, they put one foot in front of another…… Continue reading It Takes a Village