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Seeing Fuji With New Eyes
As I arrived in the Tokyo apartment almost a week ago now, the owner pointed out to me a painting just by the entrance. It was an original by him, a rendition of the Red Fuji painting which was apparently famous. I hadn’t really heard of it, but it felt familiar and I liked what…
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Honouring Daily Life from the Past
Yesterday we were lucky enough to be invited to the family home of a recent acquaintance. It is over 150 years old and traditionally built… a little oasis in the middle of a metropolis. Most importantly for me, it was a way to see through the eyes of another life. A life I’ve never lived,…
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Remembering the Power of the Sea in Yokohama
Yesterday I visited another port town, Yokohama. I had been there before, specifically Chinatown for dinner. I had not seen this city in the daylight, and it did not disappoint. We met one of my old friends there, who happened to also be in Tokyo at the same time. We took a cable car from…
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A Little Magic in Shinjuku
During the whole night, I was sleeping with a lot of images in my mind. Yesterday there were so many things happening during the day, so many people crossed my path in the crowd, so much noise filled my ears. Being around so much activity is an experience we can choose to have in life,…
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Love can Bloom from Silence
Yesterday, we started the day by going to the Myōraku-ji temple, here in Kawasaki Asao-ku. It was a short bus ride and walk away, we went mainly because my friend loves hydrangea flowers. I had heard that in Japan, June and July is the perfect season to see hydrangeas or ajisai as they call it…
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Kushikatsu with Ted
Yesterday was an easy day. We both rested and had a long chat in the afternoon, and then went to the local train station to find a bite to eat for dinner. The day before, I saw a local kushikatsu restaurant as I was walking to the station and I had thought to myself –…
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Soba Courage in Shinjuku
In my life, I have generally had a love-hate relationship with doing things alone. I’d prefer working alone and writing alone, but there were times when I just wanted someone to bounce ideas off. I love travelling alone and going to a restaurant or café on my own, but after a while I craved some…
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A Rainy Day in Kawasaki
The night passed noisily and the morning started softly. Getting used to new accommodation is not always easy, and I feel tired today, but the novelty of a new place makes up for it. The rain fell the whole day today, so I just put on my shoes and went out. I’d explore, I thought….
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Heading for Tokyo
Today, I go to Tokyo and I will complete all my socialising for the month in about a week. I enjoy my time alone, but I am happy to have company soon. As I ride the Shinkansen further north, I begin to relax. Navigating the train systems in a new country can sometimes be stressful,…
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My Neighbourhood Katano
This morning, I woke up with a lot of thoughts. When one stage of your life is ending and another is beginning, the cogs in your head turn out of sync. Every now and then there is a jam, the mind gets confused and stops. Normally during the day I can keep myself together, but…