Our morning began with a boat ride on the Hozu River in Arashiyama, heading toward a small Buddhist temple perched on the hillside above the water. We had actually seen it from a distance a couple of days earlier, and now we were going to visit. The boat was propelled by a man standing at […]
Author: Sandy
Japan: Bowing Deer, Buddha’s Nostril, and a Sword That Told a Story
November 12th – Nara Our destination today was Nara, about an hour and a half by bus from Kyoto. Nara was Japan’s first permanent capital, established in 710, and is home to some of the country’s most important Buddhist monuments. But before we got anywhere near the Buddha, we encountered the other great attraction of […]
Japan: Bamboo, Gold, Nightingales, and Lady Nene
Kyoto — November 11, 2026 We had a full day planned in Kyoto: Arashiyama’s bamboo grove, the gardens of Tenryū-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, lunch, and Nijō Castle. That would have been quite enough for one day. But I had another destination in mind, one that wasn’t on the OAT itinerary. More about that later. […]
Japan: From Kanazawa to Kyoto — A Home Visit, Noh Masks, and a Twelve-Minute Train Connection
Monday, November 9, 2026 Today we left Kanazawa for Kyoto, but not before spending a morning in a Japanese home. It turned out to be one of those visits where we learned so much, and were so busy enjoying ourselves, that I almost forgot to take photographs. A Visit to a Japanese Home There were […]
Japan: Praying Hands, Bear Dinner Bells, Mochi Mayhem, and a House That Time Forgot
Sunday, November 8, 2026 — Gokayama, Toyama Prefecture Today we left Kanazawa to venture into the mountains of Gokayama, where people have been living, working, and adapting to some fairly formidable winters for centuries. Our itinerary promised a UNESCO World Heritage village, mochi pounding, traditional Japanese papermaking, and a visit to a 300-year-old house. What […]
Japan, Full Day 9: Ancient Trees, Samurai, Gold Fingernails, and a Rather Disturbing Thank-You Note
November 8, 2026 — Kanazawa For those of you keeping track of the days (and wondering whether I’ve forgotten how to count), a little housekeeping! Full Day 6 was our travel day from Tokyo to Hakone, and Full Day 8 was our journey from Hakone back through Tokyo Station and then on the Shinkansen to […]
Japan, Full Day 7: Boats, Beautiful Wood, Geishas, and 10,000 Rotten Eggs
Hakone Day 2 – November 6, 2026 There are days when Japan seems determined to show you just how many completely different experiences it can squeeze into a single itinerary. Today we had a boat ride across a volcanic lake, an introduction to exquisite traditional woodworking, a lunch that required cooking our own food, an […]
Japan, Full Day 6: Tea Leaves, Grasshoppers, and Getting Into Hot Water
Goodbye, Tokyo — But First, a Little Shrine After several wonderfully busy days in Tokyo, it was time to leave the city behind and head toward Hakone. But before saying goodbye to Asakusa, I wanted to share one little discovery tucked beside our hotel, The B Asakusa. There, squeezed between modern buildings, was a tiny […]
Japan, Full Days 4 & 5: Sumo, Samurai, Sacred Stamps, and the Search for a Fish-Free Salad
November 3–4, 2026 — Tokyo Sometimes, a day in Japan contains an appropriate number of experiences. And then there are days when you attempt to knock over a sumo wrestler, discover that your hotel makeup mirror has been installed at approximately belt-buckle height, encounter a subway system resembling a plate of multicolored spaghetti, and find […]
Japan, Full Day 3: 1st Beginnings, Small Remembrances, & A Very Large Buddha
Monday, November 2, 2026 — Kamakura There is something particularly Japanese about a day that begins with the crush of the subway, contains a gigantic Buddha and a Shinto wedding, and ends with rain. Of course, there is also something particularly Sandy about a day involving ancient shrines, a rather enthusiastic international game of charades, […]