Author: travel67

The Best of Kyoto

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For more than a thousand years, Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan.　Tokyo may now be the center of business and government, but Kyoto remains as Japan’s spiritual and historic heart. Kyoto is a busy vibrant city with a population of over 1.4 million people. Like any other Japanese metropolis it has an eclectic mix of old and new, with ancient shrines dwarfed by skyscrapers and department stores. Kyoto, however, has managed to retain far more of its past than other, more modernized, Japanese cities. It was spared the ravages of aerial bombardment during World War II, and has survived-relatively unscathed-the tsunami of concrete and architectural monstrosities that followed the war. Hidden amongst the contemporary buildings are secret gardens, shrines and temples. Along the narrow alleyways of Gion, visitors can sip jasmine tea and wait for a fleeting look at Asia’s most iconic figure, the geisha. It would be impossible to see all that Kyoto has to offer in a single year, let alone a few days. There is not just one temple, but hundreds …

The Best of Nara

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Nara and Kyoto are the two biggest tourist destinations in Japan. Kyoto, the more famous of the two, is home to both the remaining geisha and the iconic golden pavilion. Nara, however, is the heart of Japanese Buddhism. Its temples are not just world heritage sites, but are often the largest, oldest and most sacred of their type. Standing among the pagodas and cherry trees it is possible to imagine Japan before cell phones, neon lights and the tsunami of concrete. Nara was Japan’s first permanent capital, and remains as one of the world’s great cities. Nara is not a large city and nearly all the historic sites are located in and around Nara Park. Tour groups on a day trip often complete a brief circuit of Kofuku-ji Temple, Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine in a matter of hours before returning to Kyoto or Osaka. Visitors, who prefer to travel without a megaphone wielding guide, would be better off spending two or three days on a tranquil journey of discovery, rather than an afternoon …

Lighthouse at Cape Zanpa reopens

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A couple of weeks ago the lighthouse at Cape Zanpa reopened to the public. I was out teaching the Photography Fundamentals workshop when we came across the special opening day event.  The mascot got my seal of approval. Unfortunately nobody seemed to have checked which end of the flag festooned rope they should attach to the top of the lighthouse. The result is that the flags of about 50 countries were flying upside down, an international signal of distress.

Snow Monkey Magic

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Bathing naked in a hot spring is a common, if not daily, event for many Japanese. The warm mineral waters soothe aching muscles and relax tired minds. In a country renowned for its almost fanatical work ethic, traditional onsen pools provide a moment of much needed relief. The Japanese people, however, aren’t the only ones enjoying the thermal waters. When snow begins to fall, a new group of bathers comes down from the mountains, and soaks in the steam enshrouded pools. Lounging around, they scratch and watch the world go by, unconcerned by the presence of video cameras and photographers. They are the ultimate hot spring aficionados — Japanese snow monkeys. In a remote part of the Japanese Alps, near Shiga Koen Volcano, there is a quiet steep-sided valley called Jigokudani. A rough translation of the name would be Hell Valley, and every winter hell freezes over. A thick coating of snow and ice covers the valley sides, but plumes of steam continue to rise from the river below. There is also the faint, but …

The Best of Hokkaido

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Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, and its final frontier. It has a quarter of the country’s landmass, but only one twentieth of its population. Large sections of the island are national parks where foxes, deer and brown bears outnumber people. Visitors come during winter to ski, and during summer to camp, hike and soak in hot spring pools. Hokkaido provides an escape from modern Japan to an almost primordial time. Amidst volcanoes, geysers and ice flows visitors can experience the ancient, wild side of Japan. Winter Attractions Skiing and Snowboarding Hokkaido’s winter weather is strongly influenced by the cold winds blowing in from Siberia. In Sapporo, the temperature regularly drops to -5°C, and further east, away from the ameliorating affects of the ocean, it gets as low as -30°C. The winters bring a lot of snow, and the big dumps of fluffy powder make the island’s ski resorts the best in Japan. Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, but until recently, Hokkaido’s excellent skiing and boarding was not well known outside …

Okinawan Chondara

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I regularly meet this chondara (Okinawan clown) when teaching my photography workshops, yesterday he had a new face pattern. I had presumed that each chondara would have a unique pattern they would keep for life, but I guess Okinawan clowns take these things lightly.

Prints now on sale through Fine Art America

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I’m now offering some prints for sale through Fine Art America. This will allow friends to purchase a wider range of images, sizes, and media than I currently offer. It also means that prints will be available to purchase even when I’m overseas. A few reasons why I chose Fine Art America. 1) Great reviews on the quality of their prints. 2) A large range of products, that I couldn’t offer myself such as canvas prints, frames etc. 3) They produce the items in either the United States or the UK (Glasgow) depending where you’re shipping to. This is the big game changer. The majority of people who have bought my prints are based in either the US or UK. Shipping is therefore affordable, and there are no import taxes for either group. What can’t they offer. 1) Signed prints. For a few more months I will continue to offer signed limited edition prints through the TRAVEL67.com website, but after then these will only be available at exhibitions, bazaars, and in person. Meanwhile I’ll continue …

Crusader for Health – Interview with Dr. Makoto Suzuki

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Dr. Makoto Suzuki is a cardiologist and geriatrician. In 1976, he moved from Tokyo to Okinawa and began work at the Ryukyu University Hospital. While working in the field of community medicine, he discovered that there were an unusually high number of very healthy old people living on Okinawa. He began the Okinawa Centenarian Study, which has documented the phenomenon for more than 30 years. The findings of his research became the basis of several books that became bestsellers in Japan and around the world. How did you discover the phenomenon of Okinawan longevity? “I had heard that there was a very healthy old lady living in Yomitan Village, so I, and two others from the hospital, went out to meet her. She was over 100 years old, but when we arrived she was outside cutting the grass with a sickle. I was amazed at how fit and strong she was. When we talked to her, she didn’t think she was unusual at all. In fact, she pointed out that another healthy centenarian lived directly …