Category: Asia

Walking into Forbidden Places

We were riding the Delhi metro when we became aware of dirty looks, and, oddly, all the other passengers were female.  Then it dawned on us we had stumbled into the women-only coach. The fine for this infraction was higher than for riding on the roof, and it was being regularly enforced.  The subway train was moving, we…… Continue reading Walking into Forbidden Places

Ikebukuro Station

This picture evokes vivid memories. April 2013, I’m underground in Tokyo, in Ikebukuro Station, the second busiest train station in the world with over 2.7 million passengers a day. I never walk up on the surface of Tokyo. I’ve just arrived from Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku, the nether regions of Japan, to catch a train back out of…… Continue reading Ikebukuro Station

Japan’s Islands off Islands

Sakurajima, active volcano off Kagoshima, Southern Japan, March 2013The winter is setting in, and won’t budge for another four or five months: it’s time to think about travel to warmer places like Southern Japan.One theme of my next visit to Japan is “Islands off Islands.”Japan is an archipelago consisting of thousands of islands. Four are…… Continue reading Japan’s Islands off Islands

Decoding a Crane

What are we thinking? I’m in Japan. A lone crane swoops low over a large, exquisitely landscaped pond. There are two other bystanders; they smile contentedly as the crane reinforces a common bond, evoking fragments of mysticism, national treasure, longevity, good fortune, origami, the number 1,000, childhood memories, and current dreams. I’m seeing a crane…… Continue reading Decoding a Crane