Japanese people can by shy about speaking English even if their ability is good, which can put you in some tough spots.
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A Fork in Tokyo’s Golden Road
I was of two minds as I waited for my Tokyo autumn experience to begin in earnest.
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Autumn at the Marsh of Gold
I was not excited by the thought of the Kanazawa autumn, at least not as I sat onboard a Shinkansen inbound from Tokyo last Thursday afternoon.
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30 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Visit Kyushu
As I look through all the amazing Kyushu pictures I took during the two-week exploration of the island I just completed, I came to a strange conclusion.
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Yakushima Relapse
It’s my second time to Yakushima Island, actually.
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Not a Single Satsuma
I had many expectations about what my trip to the Satsuma Peninsula would bring, though none were rooted in reality.
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What Happens in Kagoshima
The most important of all the things to do in Kagoshima is to let what happens here stay here.
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Takachiho Tremor
After having endured the relatively crowded environs of Takachiho Gorge, I really just wanted to sip an iced coffee in peace.
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Milestones in Miyazaki
Time seems elastic and bountiful the first day you wake up not obsessing over something you’ll never have.
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The Dark Prince of Beppu
I was searching for Satan in the various hells of Beppu Onsen.
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Aftershocks and Anti-Climax
The rim of Nakadake Crater is now totally off-limits, which makes a trip to this part of Japan relatively anti-climactic from the get-go.
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Kumamoto in the Waking World
I never thought I would walk into my own dream.
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What Inari Affirmed
Affirmation, it seemed, was the gift of my trip to Yutoku Inari Shrine.
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Nagasaki’s Multitudes
The dam broke as I walked away toward Nagasaki Peace Park—and I’d be lying if I said some of the tears weren’t ones I shed on my own behalf.
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Karatsu Through the Clearing
I was in no hurry to get to Karatsu Castle Tuesday morning.
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Fukuoka is for (Ex) Lovers
The food looked ordinary—the style of service was what stood out, and I found it more interesting to document that than to delight in.
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Epilogue: Okinawa
I hadn’t planned to come to Okinawa at all.
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Awaji Free Zone
Apart from Awaji Island, Japan is not a country where I’ve ever seen anything given out for free.
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Is Kobe Worth Visiting?
It was Labor Day weekend, and it definitely felt like the end of summer in Kobe.
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The Japanese Riviera
Exhaustion, when born out of unexpected joy, resembles something very close to ecstasy.
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