(Un)translatables: Japanese Top Ten

(Un)translatables – my term – are words in one language that may take a paragraph to explain in another language … and still not quite get it right. (Title Image: Hokkaido University, kanji: ‘Japanese language’) All languages have them. Japanese has some really good ones. (Un)translatables in Japanese: The Bad… read more

Nara, Japan – Tōdai-Ji Temple

Nara, Japan: Going There, Getting There Question: What to do on a Sunday afternoon? Answer: Hop a train and go to Nara. It’s the capital of Japan’s Nara Prefecture in south-central Honshu. It was the capital of Japan in the 8th century. The reason to go there is for the… read more

Futon Daiko: Japanese Portable Shrines

Futon daiko is the word in Japanese for the kind of portable shrine pictured in the title image. Last week there was a futon daiko festival in Akashi, a town a good hour or more west of Osaka. My son, Gerard, is somewhere in the title image, but I can’t tell… read more

Famous Koreans: Top Ten List

When I go to a new place, I now practice anchoring my experience by finding out about the country’s famous people. I always ask locals for suggestions. Naturally, I asked Koreans for some famous Koreans. However, I didn’t have to ask anyone for my #1. Famous Koreans: Historic King Sejong… read more

Seoul, Korea: Second Twenty-Four Hours

So, now we’re in Korea, and we’ve had one 24-hour cycle under our belt. What happens next? Seoul, Korea: The Four Seasons I had read about the Charles H. bar at the Four Seasons, Seoul. It’s known to serve one of best martinis on the planet. But you have to… read more

Seoul, Korea: First Twenty-Four Hours

Last week I did something very Japanese: I had a quick get-away to Seoul – and never mind the fact that for me Japan was already the get-away! The trip was the idea of my son, Gerard, and his fiancée, Rimi. We had a great time. Ask any young Japanese… read more

Nishinomiya: My Japanese Neighborhood

I arrived in Japan last week, my major stop being Nishinomiya where I’n visiting with my younger son, Gerard. Nishinomiya is between Osaka and Kobe, and I’ve been here before. I specifically requested my lodging to be Yakkoryokan. Because it’s a popular place, Gerard made reservations here for me a long… read more