https://youtu.be/cf8GUrJw4G8?si=Zj0s-U8n9Z6Bpnsp&t=25
Fall foliage forecast
Tip #1 to begin preparations for a journey where the signposts are unfamiliar, where the new worlds you see reveal elements in yourself that you never knew existed.
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Monday, April 7, 2025
My Wife Is A Japanophile and I have Japanophilia (It sounds serious.)
I'm writing a book right now where I say: my wife is a "Japanophile." So I'm directing my readers to this page. Because I'm in a rush, I've decided to copy the Wikipedia article on this topic and paste it right here, which I think is a good idea because I can annotate the article on the fly. Here it is.
For the full article go to Wikipedia, search Japanophilia.20th century
In the first decade of the 20th century, several British writers lauded Japan. In 1904, for example, Beatrice Webb wrote that Japan was a "rising star of human self-control and enlightenment", praising the "innovating collectivism" of the Japanese, and the "uncanny" purposefulness and open-mindedness of its "enlightened professional elite." H. G. Wells similarly named the élite of his A Modern Utopia "samurai". In part, this was a result of the decline of British industrial productivity, with Japan and Germany rising comparatively. Germany was seen as a threat and a rival power, but Japan was seen as a potential ally. The British sought efficiency as the solution to issues of productivity, and after the publication of Alfred Stead's 1906 book Great Japan: A Study of National Efficiency, pundits in Britain looked to Japan for lessons. This interest, however, ended after World War I.[5]
General José Millán-Astray, the founder of the Spanish Legion, stated that the samurai warrior code Bushido exerted a great influence on him. Defining Bushido as "a perfect creed", Millán-Astray said that "the Spanish legionnaire is also a samurai and practices the Bushido essentials: Honor, Valor, Loyalty, Generosity, and Sacrifice", and added that Spain would become a great power like Japan by adhering to the code's principles.[6] He also made a Spanish translation of Inazo Nitobe's book Bushido: The Soul of Japan and a prologue to it.[7]
Kim Morrissy of the media company Crunchyroll wrote that the use of the word otaku (person with consuming interests) in anime fandom can be hindered by the belief of some Westerners that its use constitutes cultural appropriation and that it can only refer to a Japanese person.[12]
In a blog post on Anime News Network, Justin Sevakis argued that there is a difference between a weeaboo and someone who simply appreciates Japanese culture, saying that there is nothing wrong with loving Japanese culture, but that a person becomes a weeaboo when they start to be obnoxious, immature, and ignorant about the culture they love.[13] Matt Jardin from the Alaska Dispatch gave his opinion that weeaboos blindly prefer things from Japan while looking down on anything else, despite obvious merit.[14]
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Nivin in Japan: Our Rapport community travels with him!
Molly, our neighborhood Rapport latte barista introduced me to Nivin who will travel Japan for a month. He's agreed to take us with him (so to speak) on this web site.
LAX to Haneda (Tokyo)
Then he hops aboard a shinkansen and becomes outward bound into the spirit of Japan
So what's going on in Tokyo today?
Stay tuned!
Tomorrow. Getting around Tokyo
Click HERE for 5 Exceptional Cafés in Tokyo
Sunday, September 1, 2024
NOVEMBER 2024 TRIP IDEAS WORTH SHARING
We just reserved our round trip air travel to Tokyo.
We use Booking.com to make our hotel reservations as it allows free cancellation up to 24-48 hours before arrival.
JAPAN SUMMARY
Tokyo 6 days,
Kyoto/Asuka 6 days
You may choose to fly into Tokyo for extra days before we arrive.
Th Nov 14-19 We are staying at:
the APA SHINJUKU KABUKICHO TOWER in Tokyo
This is our Tokyo home base as it is central to all sites in Tokyo.
Nov. 19 Bullet Train to Kyoto
Nov. 19-26 Stay in Kyoto and/or Asuka at our friend's homestay in Asuka Village. We have sent an email to the Tanaka's (our friends in Asuka. We will update you when we hear back from them. In the mean time we've made a reservation at a hotel designed like a ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn: Candeo Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
You may choose to stay longer.
Our friend Kimiko in Nara is an extraordinary guide, and will make memorable your extra days.
Nov. 26 Train to Narita for return flight home. Stay overnight in Narita
Nov. 27 Tour Narita but head to airport by 7pm
Nov. 28 Return flight to LAX: our flight departs at 12:50 am. We board just after midnight sleep and awaken more than half way home, making it feel like a shorter flight
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Sunday, November 26, 2023
FALL COLORS IN JAPAN NOVEMBER 10-30, 2024
Winter, spring, summer in Japan but we've never been there in the fall. Starting today we are actualizing that experience one small step at a time. First, set the date: November 10-30, 2024, the rest will follow.
The Japanese have a deep and long enduring relationship with the seasons. This is most profound during the hanami (cherry blossom season in March and April), and so too in the autumn (kōyō or momiji season) before the onset of winter.
The Japanese have a deep and long enduring relationship with the seasons. This is most profound during the hanami (cherry blossom season in March and April), and so too in the autumn (kōyō or momiji season) before the onset of winter.
Photo credit: Japan Experience @pat138241, 123RF.com
Koyo (紅葉) Foilage with red and yellow colors
Momiji (紅葉) Intensily red maple leaves.
Momijigari, hunting for maples, dates back to the Heian period (794-1195).
For buddhists, this falling-leaves time is a reminder that life is ephemeral. For me this heightened seasonal way of life is a reminder of the great treasure in each and every moment.
Photo credit: Japan Rail Pass
This link will take you to an excellent resource to begin building your list of places you'd like to visit in Japan.
I am in the process of vetting this homestay link.
Another option is simply looking out the window while traveling by train
if visiting the country with a Japan Rail Pass. Between stations, you’ll have
the opportunity to observe the local countryside in all its autumn glory.
For a truly unique Koyo experience at a relaxed pace, consider a sightseeing train ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway through the picaresque Arashiyama region.
Best places in Kyoto
if visiting the country with a Japan Rail Pass. Between stations, you’ll have
the opportunity to observe the local countryside in all its autumn glory.
For a truly unique Koyo experience at a relaxed pace, consider a sightseeing train ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway through the picaresque Arashiyama region.
Best places in Kyoto
Kyoto is often considered the best city in Japan to view the impressive fall foliage, thanks in part to the large number of traditional temples with sprawling, forested grounds
- Arashiyama – An extensive bamboo forest on the outskirts of the city
- Daigo-Ji Gardens – A large green space popular with photographers in the autumn
- Daitoku-Ji – A temple with an impressive tunnel made out of maples at the entrance.
- Eikando Temple – The trees in these temple grounds are impressively lit during the fall
- Kinkaku-Ji – The gold-leaf coating of this famous temple is perfectly complemented by the colours of its surrounding trees in the autumn
- Nanzen-Ji – Made famous by the film Lost in Translation, which shot scenes at this temple during the fall
- Tenryu-Ji – A UNESCO World Heritage Site with an impressive landscape garden
- Tofukuji Temple – The Tsutenkyo Bridge in the temple grounds is one of the most popular leaf viewing spots in the city.
Best places in Tokyo
Although internationally known as a bustling metropolis, Tokyo is also packed with green spaces such as parks and gardens ideal for Momijigari. Some of the most popular include:
- Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue – A famous street lined with ginko trees which turn a bright yellow in the autumn
- Koishikawa Korakuen – A popular garden, close to the Tokyo Dome, which boasts a large number of maple trees
- Mount Takao – Located on the outskirts of the city, this busy weekend destination is ideal for an autumn hike
- Oze National Park – Another popular hiking spot, located around 100 kilometers to the north of the city
- Rikugien Garden – An impressive landscape garden popular for both red leaf and cherry blossom viewing
- Shinjuku Gyoen – A large city park popular for autumn picnics
- Ueno Park – This large green space boasts over 9,000 trees with spectacular colors in the fall
- Yoyogi Park – Located close to the trendy Harajuku neighborhood and offers a mix of both ginkos and maples with spectacular autumn colors.
When to start planning your autumn trip to Japan
Those wishing to experience Momijigari in Japan are advised to start planning their autumn around 6 months in advance of travel, particularly if they wish to visit the major cities for fall leaf viewing.
As during the cherry blossom in the spring, accommodation in Tokyo and Kyoto can fill up quickly for the fall foliage season, so it’s advisable to make reservations as soon as travel dates are known.
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