Category: Uncategorized

Wow Place #360:  Ukiha Inari Shrine, Kyushu, Japan   The Japanese word “hyouban” translates roughly to “fame, reputation or popularity” as well as “rumor or talk.” If you visit Japan, no doubt the hyouban of certain sites will precede them. Mt. Fuji has a reputation as the most beautiful mountain in the country.  Himeji is [...]

Wow Place #359:  Onta Pottery Village, Kyushu, Japan   When choosing a place to travel, nature lovers are likely to seek out a beautiful landscape.  If you’re drawn to the ocean, you might well pursue a lovely seascape. And urban aficionados will certainly point themselves in the direction of a dazzling cityscape. But who, among [...]

Wow Place #358:  Broad Wall, Jerusalem, Israel   "Not all those who wander are lost." — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring   I’ve taken to getting lost. It a feeling that’s built in me over time. It started with my dedicating one day of every vacation to unstructured wandering. Over time, that sole, [...]

Wow Place #357:  Tower of David, Jerusalem, Israel   Growing up in California, my sense of history is significantly skewed.  “Old,” for me, is any ruin, relic or artifact dating back to the 1840s, when gold was first discovered in the mountains east of San Francisco (igniting “The Gold Rush”).   “Wow, that’s an actual pick [...]

Wow Place #356:  Shimabara, Japan   When it comes to reputation, there are places that come close to meeting the hype, places that live up to the hype, and places that exceed the hype. Shimabara is not one of these places. Nicknamed the “City of Water,” the castle town of Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture is [...]

Wow Place #355:  Kumano Magaibutsu, Kunisaki Peninsula, Japan   When I was a kid, one of my favorite cartoons was “Tennessee Tuxedo.” Its plot was simple: Tennessee, a penguin, and his dimwitted pal Chumley, a walrus, live in Megapolis zoo.  Regularly, the duo escape over the zoo’s wall and get into all manner of trouble [...]

Wow Place #354:  Kuju Flower Park, Taketa City, Japan   I’m embarrassed to admit that I have a little cellphone problem. When I’m standing in line, I look at my phone.  When I’m watching a movie or reading a book, my phone is never far away.  If a text arrives (with its enticing ping), I [...]

Wow Place #353: Chichu Museum, Naoshima Island, Japan   To my surprise, there have been over 100 James Bond Villains over the course of 25 or so 007 movies.  Some of them I’d call “Bond Thugs” as they were more hired assassins than actual evil masterminds.  I’m talking Odd Job from Goldfinger, Donald “Red” Grant [...]

Wow Place #352: Takachiho Gorge, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan   Time and again, I’ve been tricked into thinking that a famous site isn’t nearly as good as its hype.   There was the time I arrived at the main gate of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, at 7am on a brisk January morning.  Bleary eyed [...]

Wow Place #351: Futago-ji Temple, Kunisaki Peninsula, Kyushu Japan   Cenzo:  “Where do you think it goes?” Dave:  “I’m not sure.  The sign says, “Mountain Pilgrimage Path.” Cenzo:  “It’s pretty steep. And look, you have to use a chain to hoist yourself up the first part!  You don’t think it goes ALL the way up [...]