In June (2021), I used one of the last pleasant days before the rainy season set in to hike a section of the Hakone Old Road between Ashinoko (Lake Ashi) and Harajuku, with a short detour to a lesser known pond called Otamaga-ike along the way.
Read moreMonth: July 2021
A Morning Walk at Lake Ashi: Hakone, Japan
Later this week, I’ll share a recent hike I took along a preserved section of the Tokaidō–one of the major travel roads of 17th century Japan–but the day began with a walk along a different, and more modern, path along the shore of Ashinoko (Lake Ashi), which I’m sharing here today
Read moreKakigori – a Japanese Summer Treat
One of the things I love most about living in Japan is the seasonal nature of Japanese food. While it’s sad to have some of your favorite treats fall off the menu when the calendar changes, it’s also exciting to look forward to seeing your favorites return the following year (and having the chance to find new favorites, too). Last summer, my son and I discovered a delicious spot to get kakigori–the fluffy shaved ice that’s a favorite summertime treat across Japan. Kurashiki Coffee at Toritsu-Daigaku station offers three different flavors: strawberry, matcha (powdered green tea), and tiramisu–each with a
Read moreThe Tō-ji Cherry Blossom Illumination in Kyoto (Tō-ji, Part 3 of 3)
n April 2019, while finishing the 100 mountain climbs that became the basis for CLIMB, I visited Kyoto with my friend (and fellow author) Laura VanArendonk Baugh. By chance, our day in the ancient capital coincided with the final nights of the annual sakura (cherry blossom) illumination at Tō-ji, the UNESCO World Heritage temple that also happens to be one of Kyoto’s oldest sacred sites.
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