Explored a mountainous area north of Sendai by train, local bus, and foot. In Kakunodate I was interviewed, via an interpreter, by a reporter for the local newspaper. American tourists are few and far between. Further down the road, almost walked into a professional photo shoot.
Category: Asia
Overload
Yodobashi electronics stores are often located next to main train stations. Each store is at least 215,000 sq ft; a typical Best Buy is just 38,000 sq ft. At Sendai’s store I set a goal to find something I didn’t realize I didn’t need, but left, overwhelmed.
Bullet Train vs. Plane
This evening I flew 700 miles from Sendai (Miyagi) to Fukuoka rather than taking three bullet trains. At the time of booking I was happy to pay $66 extra to fly. Current wisdom says flying has advantages over high-speed rail for journeys over about 500 miles (about 800 km). This data seems reasonable if we… Continue reading Bullet Train vs. Plane
Far From Tokyo Crowds
Sendai, about 200 miles northeast of Tokyo, is my base for the next few days. From Sendai, rode a bullet train for 13 minutes, then rural trains to reach trails for some fall color hiking. The rural train line is in this photo.
Traveling with Salarymen
Arrived Tokyo HND, late afternoon Thursday, off a thirteen-hour flight and a +14-hour time difference. Took rush hour trains to a downtown hotel and an early night. Japan only reopened to independent travelers two weeks ago, so I’m expecting to see few westerners on my travels.
Next up: Tokyo
On board UA881 en route to Tokyo HND.
Japan 2022
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Spirited Away
We usually rent a movie on Saturday nights. Tonight: Spirited Away from Japan’s venerable Studio Ghibli. They’ve just opened up their catalog for online rental. Tonight we got to watch this imaginative anime, probably their most famous production. It won an Oscar in 2003.
A Hiking Theme for Each of Japan’s Main Islands
Hiking doesn’t need to have purpose apart from the obvious act of putting one foot in front of the other while staying upright. Sometimes, though, I like to have a theme underpinning a hike. For example, here’s themes I’ve taken up for each of Japan’s main islands. Kyushu: Matsuo Bashō, 17th Century Traveler and Poet.… Continue reading A Hiking Theme for Each of Japan’s Main Islands
A Hiking Theme for Each of Japan’s Main Islands
Hiking doesn’t need to have purpose apart from the obvious act of putting one foot in front of the other while staying upright. Sometimes, though, I like to have a theme underpinning a hike. Here’s a hiking theme for each of Japan’s main islands. Kyushu: Matsuo Bashō, 17th Century Traveler and Poet My go-to guide… Continue reading A Hiking Theme for Each of Japan’s Main Islands