Japan – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

Macaque Some Friends at Arashiyama Monkey Park!

Susan Spann Blog August 16, 2021August 27, 2021Arashiyama, Arashiyama Monkey Park, Japan, Kyoto, Murder is Everywhere, Snow monkeys

Arashiyama Monkey Park, where monkeys roam free and humans are in the cage…

Seikanji – a Hidden Mountain Temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama Ward

Susan Spann Blog August 13, 2021August 13, 2021hiking in Japan, Japan, Japanese history, Kyoto, Kyoto temples, samurai, samurai history, Seikanji, travel

While visiting Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera on July 6 (2021), I made a side trip to visit Seikanji–a mountain temple with beautiful views that most visitors don’t even realize is there.

Kiyomizu-dera: A Mountainside Kyoto Temple With a Sacred Waterfall

Susan Spann Blog August 9, 2021August 8, 2021Buddhism, Japan, Kannon, Kiyomizu-dera, kiyomizudera, Kyoto, Kyoto temples, temples

On July 6, 2021, I celebrated my 50th birthday with a trip to Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera–one of my favorite temples in the ancient capital (partially because it combines two of my other favorite things: mountains and waterfalls).

Hiking the Hakone Old Road, Part 2: Otama-ga-ike to Hatajuku

Susan Spann Blog, Hikes August 2, 2021August 2, 2021Amazake Chaya, Hakone, Hakone Old Road, hiking Hakone, Hiking Japan, Japan, Tokaido

A virtual hike along Hakone’s “Old Road” from the beautiful pond called Otama-ga-Ike to one of Japan’s oldest continuously operating teahouses.

Kakigori – a Japanese Summer Treat

Susan Spann Blog July 26, 2021July 25, 2021Japan, Japanese desserts, kakigori, summer

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

The Gardens of Tō-ji (Part 2 of 3)

Susan Spann Blog June 30, 2021June 27, 2021Japan, Japanese temples, Kyoto, sakura, To-ji, Toji Temple

Tō-ji sits a few blocks south of Kyoto Station, near the former entrance to the ancient capital. In addition to its remarkable history and architecture, this 8th century temple is home to a lovely garden, with graveled walking trails that lead across the grounds and around an expansive pond.

Visiting Tō-ji: a Temple Tied to Kyoto’s Ancient Past (Part 1 of 3)

Susan Spann Blog June 28, 2021June 27, 2021Buddhist temples, food, Japan, Japanese culture, Kyoto, To-ji, Toji

In 794, Kyoto (then renamed Heian-kyo) became the capital of Japan. At that time, the official entrance to the city was in the south (the direction visitors came when approaching from the former capital of Nara). A pair of guardian temples stood on either side of the entrance, at the start of an enormous, broad, flat road that led from the official city entrance all the way to the Imperial Palace in the northern part of the city.

CHAPTER 27: Tokachidake

Susan Spann 100 Summits, Blog, CLIMB Photo Companion April 18, 2021April 21, 2021hiking, hiking in Japan, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Nature Tours, hyakumeizan, Japan, Mt. Tokachi, Nihon Hyakumeizan, Tokachidake

September 11, 2018 This photo supplement tracks the events in CLIMB: Leaving Safe and Finding Strength on 100 Summits in Japan. The captions offer “extra features” that didn’t make it into the book. On the morning of September 11, my Hokkaido Nature Tours guide (who I’d christened the Yamabushi) and I drove approximately 200 kilometers from Sapporo to Daisetsuzan National Park in Central Hokkaido–home to some of the tallest mountains in Hokkaido, including our target for the day: 2,077-meter Tokachidake (Mt. Tokachi). What look like “normal” cumulus clouds in the photo above are actually clouds of smoke and steam rising from the

Welcome, Spring . . . and Sakura-Flavored Everything

Susan Spann Blog March 14, 2021March 14, 20212021 cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms, Japan, Japanese food, Murder is Everywhere, sakura, sakura food

Springtime in Japan means the return of the beloved sakura (cherry blossoms) — on the trees and on the plate. The blossoms are arriving about two weeks early this year. The trees in my Meguro neighborhood are already setting buds, and on my walk yesterday afternoon I spotted the first blossom of the year: When I stopped to take a picture, a woman walking next to me also stopped, looked up (to see what I was looking at) and startled. “Sakura!” she exclaimed. “Honto desu ne? Hayai desu ne.” (“Is it really true? They’re early, aren’t they?”) I agreed with

CHAPTER 24: To Play With Crows

Susan Spann 100 Summits, Blog, CLIMB Photo Companion February 27, 2021March 21, 2021Climb, crows, gongenyama, hiking in Japan, Japan, Japanese crows, Kōbō, Kobo Daishi, koboyama, Mt. Kōbō

August 14, 2018 This photo supplement tracks the events in CLIMB: Leaving Safe and Finding Strength on 100 Summits in Japan. The captions offer “extra features” that didn’t make it into the book. August is not the best month for mountain climbing in Japan. It’s hot, humid, and generally unpleasant in Tokyo, and while the more mountainous surrounding prefectures are somewhat better, it’s still a challenging (and potentially dangerous) time to exercise. That said, when you’re trying to climb 100 mountains in 365 days, you haven’t got the luxury of waiting on the weather, so with the summer heat in full swing,

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