Travel

Daisho-in Temple on Miyajima is special. It's a spiritual place, and it has a gorgeous collection of statues. Its 500 raken statues are justly famous, but you will really enjoy their seriously cute, small round jizo statue collection as well. These little cuties are spread out all over the temple grounds.

On August 15th, 1549, the Portuguese missionary Francis Xavier landed on the shores of Kagoshima city. His goal was to bring Christianity to Japan and Kagoshima was the only port in Kyushu that permitted the proselytizer to land.

Located in the rural north side of the beautiful island of Okinawa is the village of Ogimi. Often sought after by foreigners and TV documentary crews to learn the secrets of long life, it is world famous for the amount of centenarians that live there.

Approximately 1550 km south of cold Tokyo, Okinawa is enjoying a relatively warm winter and is getting ready for its annual pink shower! Right after the New Year’s gatherings and other shinnenkai (beginning-of-year parties), Okinawans are ready for a celebration of Mother Nature called “Sakura matsuri.”

Fishing anyone? If you visit Okinawa, you must try the deep sea fishing! I'm actually shocked at how many people never go out on the boat and fish in Okinawa. I know...., it's too hot, humid, stinky, and you get sea sick. Well, grab your sun shades, motion sickness medicine (the Japanese fune yoii kusuri, as it's the best) and book a charter.

Many if not all of us have at one time or another passed through the modern city of Suwon while heading to or from any number of work-related or vacation destinations during a tour in Korea.  Interesting, perhaps, from the highway or KTX, one has to make his or her way to the older part of the city to really appreciate what Suwon is and was for