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My Shikoku Henro Tales Part 13 - Konzo-ji temple 76
A soft rain was falling when we left Zentsu-ji, temple 75 so instead of walking 3 kilometres to Konzo-ji, temple 76 we walked back to Zentsuji station to take the train.The JR Dosan line bound for...
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My Shikoku Henro Tales Part 14 - Okubo-ji, Temple 88
At the start of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage, the henro does kechigan, a promise to fullfil a vow.  In this case, the vow is to finish the entire pilgrimage, whether it is by walking,  or by...
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My Shikoku Henro Tales - Getting to and around Shikoku
Typhoon Jebi almost ruined my carefully planned Shikoku trip. It ripped into Kansai, forcing the closure of the airport and the cancellation of our PAL flight, just two days before we wereto leave....
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A Henro Postcript
Strung out over 1,400 kilometres around the island of Shikoku, the 88 Temple Pilgrimage winds through towns and cities, rural roads and sometimes, very difficult and lonely terrain.  The henro moves...
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Spellbound at Takamatsu's Shotengai
If I had known that Takamatsu has Japan's longest shotengai, over 2.7 kilometres long, I wouldhave stayed an extra day, just to wander around my favourite type of shopping venue.Shotengai are old time...
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Egg-y tendon at Domburikappou Itajirou in Minamishinmachi
If you're walking down Minamishinmachi, Takamatsu's famous kilometric shotengai, you'll be spoiled for choices for a meal. Lined with izakayas, coffee shops, specialty one-dish restaurants and...
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Oden and Ramen at Chuukatenshin Saryou, Lion-Dori
Local nightlife is alive and well along Lion-Dori, one of Takamatsu's famous shotengai. When darkness falls and the small retail shops close, the izakaya and restaurants fling open their doors.  It's...
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A quiet walk, unspoiled at Ritsurin-koen
It was our last morning in Takamatsu and we had not yet visited its most famous attraction, Ritsurin-koen, said to be one of the best gardens in Japan. Since we had a couple of hours before catching...
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A Thousand Years Away at Engyo-ji in Himeji
Many tourists who visit Kansai seldom go outside Osaka or Kyoto. Nara will sometimes makeit to their list if only to mingle with the passive-aggressive deer in the park.But not too far away from Kyoto...
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An almost vegetarian lunch at Haduki on Mt Shosha
Buddhists believe in doing no harm to any living creature that's why most of them do not eat any meat, poultry or fish.  In Japan,  Buddhist monks prepare vegetarian cuisine or shojin ryori --it's...
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The White Egret ... impenetrable, impregnable Himeji-jo
When I think of castles, I think of Sleeping Beauty who lived in a castle and Cinderella who mether Prince Charming in one. I also think of Dracula who had a real life one and Mad Ludwig who probably...
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A Japanese Dance Lesson with Nishikawa sensei and All Star Osaka Walk
With a lively and fun atmosphere, unrivalled in all of Japan, a casual and welcoming vibe, and friendly people with a great sense of humour -- Osaka has always been one of my favourite places to...
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Drinking (and eating) my way through All Star Osaka Walk's Tipsy Bar Tour
There is a popular saying in Japan that says "go to Tokyo for money, to Kyoto for culture but go to Osaka for food". It's particularly true for Osaka where the locals believe in "kuidaore"or "eating...
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Discovering the treasures of Kennin-ji
"Discover" is the appropriate word for our visit to Kennin-ji,Kyoto's oldest Zen temple.We had passed by this place many times ... while walking around Gion, ... walking to and from Kiyomizu-dera ......
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2018 -- My Year in 12 Shots
It's always been difficult to for me to write about my year-in-review. How do I include all thethings I did, saw and ate in a whole year, in just one post? My previous posts about myyear-that-was...
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Walking with Bukas Quiapo Tours Part 1 - Food and Faith in Quiapo
Word association -- quick, what do you think of when I say "Quiapo"?Traffic. The Black Nazarene. Crowds. Traffic. More crowds.Ask me about Quiapo and if I look back to my childhood years, I would...
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My Notre Dame Memories
Sometimes, I find myself wide awake at ungodly hours.A few days ago, I gave up trying to fall asleep and checked out the news online. What I saw made me sit up in shock and dismay. At 2:00 a.m., the...
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An Art Deco Tour of Malolos Bulacan
What do I know about art deco ... maybe next to nothing? But that didn't stop me from joining a day tour to Malolos during Ivan Man Dy's recently concluded Philippine Art Deco Weekend.  Ivan has a...
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The (Two) Happy Folks' Home
Why do we choose to live where we live? There are reams of articles answering that question -- writers talk of cities or towns where they live, where the air is cleaner, where the quality of life is...
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Travels with Martina Day 1 - A long day's journey into night and day again...
It started off as our 40th wedding anniversary gift to ourselves. We would commemorate the milestone by travelling to favourite places and making new memories. What could be better than that? Well,...
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