Watched “Yurusarezaru mono” (“Unforgiven”) set in Japan’s brutal 19th century frontier, Hokkaido. It parallels America’s West: settlers (from Honshu), indigenous people (Ainu), and destitute Samurai rather than washed-up gunslingers. In 2013 I visited this 1870’s frontier home.
Category: Asia
Japanese Kit Kats
Bought Japanese green tea/almond/cranberry Kit Kats for my nephews, one of over 300 flavors.
Korean Comfort Food
Posted Bibimbap: Korean Comfort Food.
Bibimbap: Korean Comfort Food
Since my last visit to South Korea in 2017, I have come to crave the comfort of Korean-style rice bowls: rice topped with little heaps of meat, vegetables, and a soft-cooked egg. Yolk permeating rice is one of life’s great pleasures. The photo at the top of this post shows a fine example awaiting my…… Continue reading Bibimbap: Korean Comfort Food
Love Hotel Amenity
Posted Love Hotel Amenity.
Love Hotel Amenity
[wp_quiz id=”1823″] I have nothing against love hotels as places for courting couples to get some privacy for a couple hours, or a traveler to get a cheap bed for the night if they can wait until late night to check in. I have issues with other uses that involve exploitation. I took the photos…… Continue reading Love Hotel Amenity
Travelling with Cultural Baggage
One of the challenges of travel is having to bring myself with me. If the trip is going to be more than passive entertainment, I have to try to erode my preconceived notions, prejudices, blindspots, and cultural programming. This week I felt shock when I first saw the scene pictured at the top of this…… Continue reading Travelling with Cultural Baggage
Transported
After warming up with a bowl of ramen in delicious pork broth in a large Asian supermarket, I was delighted to find green tea Kit Kats: one of over 200 Kit Kat flavors in Japan. I was transported.
A Very Japanese Christmas
Christmas was coming to life when I visited Japan in early November. Colonel Sanders, an integral part of Japan’s Christmas traditions, was in his Santa garb. Ticket counters in some train stations were decorated with tinsel and little ornaments. Christmas trees were starting to sprout. Christmas tree being set up at Nagoya’s main train station.…… Continue reading A Very Japanese Christmas
A Very Japanese Christmas
Posted A Very Japanese Christmas.