I’ve just returned from a 7-day, 98-km hike along the Kumano Kodo, a group of pilgrimage trails through Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture. Pilgrims of all social classes, from retired emperors and samurai to Buddhist nuns and priests, have traveled these mountainous trails on foot for more than 1,000 years.
Read moreMonth: November 2018
Welcome Tea at Japanese Inns (Ryokan) and Temple Lodgings
Japanese people have many customs that may seem strange or unusual to Western visitors, many of which are easy to admire and enjoy. One of my favorites is the custom of welcome tea, still practiced by most ryokan (traditional inns) and temple lodgings, as well as traditional shops and businesses.*
Read moreGiving Thanks
We don’t technically celebrate American Thanksgiving in Japan (although the country observes “Labor Thanksgiving” this coming Friday, in recognition of all Japanese workers’ efforts and the products they produce). However, gratitude is never out of season, and although you can take the girl out of the United States, you’ll probably never completely take the U.S. holidays out of this particular girl. In recognition of which, I’m thinking about all the things I’m grateful for this week.
Read moreAlmost-Halfway 100 Summits Update!
I’ve been climbing my way through the autumn, and simultaneously working on the next Hiro Hattori mystery (tentatively titled Ghost of the Bamboo Grove), and it occurred to me that I’ve been a bit remiss in my blogging updates. Whoops . . . The summit count currently stands at 43 – a respectable almost-halfway total, though the coming snow will present some challenges moving forward.
Read moreA Reminder to Shoot the B Roll
When I talk with people about writing blogs (either regular blogs or periodic guest blogs) one of the most frequent questions I hear is “where do you find good copyright-released images for your posts?” In my case, the answer is always: on my computer and my phone. And, in the case of the squid chips pictured above, in the local Tokyo 7-11 . . . but I digress.
Read moreA Precious Moment At a Snail’s Pace
The 100 Summits Project has taught me many things–most of which, I’m saving for the book, but a few of these lessons bear repeating here, as well as in the larger story. Case in point: the snail’s pace. I saw this lovely fellow climbing down a wall on Mt. Daimonji, in Kyoto, about a week ago.
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