Looking back on 2011

2011, the year of the Rabbit, has turned out to be a rather dark year for Japan, and a year with long-lasting consequences.
From the first few months I remember the spectacularly beautiful January and some beautiful outings to the Shonan Coast and the Miura Peninsula. And of course visiting the Snow Monkeys!
March 2011 will remain in the memories of many for a long time. We lived through the Great East Japan Earthquake and the following days of the nuclear scare. The earth kept shaking for two months to come.
As a ray of light in early April, we spent some ethereally beautiful days in Kyoto during the cherry bloom. Also these days will remain in our memory forever.
Our highlights of late spring and early summer were cycling the Shimanami Kaido during the bloom of the citrus fruits and our trip to Hokkaido.
Luckily, the summer was not as hot as the last one had been, because with all the power saving measures that had to be implemented as a result of the earthquake, this could have been way worse than it was.
Towards the end of summer, we already had to prepare for moving back to Europe, but before that, we made an island escape to Niijima and we did our Great Round Trip, visiting among others Tottori and the Sanin Coast, Amanohashidate and Shirakawago. It’s a pity we couldn’t travel even more, we had such a good time. We left the country by boat, just the way we had arrived three years earlier. Since then, we’ve been decorating our new home in Geneva with the things we brought along from Japan, sometimes missing Japan. We are intending to do an extended trip to Japan in 2012 and are already looking forward to it.
Despite everything, we have good memories of 2011. For now, in keeping with the Japanese custom, I clean our home before the New Year!

Read Full Post »

Things Japanese XXII: Onsen

The famous bath house in Dogo Onsen (Shikoku)

A very Japanese thing is the onsen (温泉) or hot spring. The volcanically active country is blessed with countless natural hot springs with many different types of mineral waters, some alkaline, some highly acidic, which are usually ascribed specific health benefits. The Japanese flock to the public bath houses in regions with famous hot springs, and a resort hotel stands and falls with the quality of its baths.
Hot spring resort towns often have the word “onsen” added to their name, such as for example Beppu Onsen. Going to the onsen is integral part of the experience of traveling in Japan. Nothing is more restorative after a train ride or a hike than soaking in the mineral waters of a hot spring.

Read Full Post »

Kyoto Zen Gardens II (Picture Book)

Japan’s Zen gardens fascinate the Western world. In Kyoto there are so many of them, that even though I have already presented some pictures in the past, today I would like to share some more.
The temple complex of Nanzenji houses a number of beautiful examples of the famous dry landscape (枯山水, karesansui) Zen garden. There are large viewing gardens and courtyard gardens of all sizes, all of them beautiful in their own way.

Dry landscape garden at Nanzenji

Read Full Post »

English in Japan

When I asked last week for reader input, I received the following question from a Japanese reader:

Do you think Japanese people learn English more? Why do you think most of all the Japanese people are not good at English? How do you think the Japanese people can improve their English?

It’s a very good question, and one we have wondered about many times during our stay in Japan. Getting by with English does not work too well in Japan. Most people seem not to speak English at all, even though everyone learns English in school.

Read Full Post »