ANA, All Nippon Airways, operats a Boeing 787-9 in an R2-D2 Star Wars theme. Apparently the announcements and sounds of the aircraft reflect that theme as well. It flies ten different routes for a total of 22 different flights, one of which is my flight from San Francisco to Haneda, meaning there is about a …
The art of Japanese gardening has a long and fascinating history, with its roots dating back to the Asuka period (592-710) when Japan was heavily influenced by Chinese culture. It was during this period that the practice of Buddhism was introduced to Japan, which heavily influenced the design of Japanese gardens. The use of gardens …
Teaching the history of East Asia this year has given me the opportunity to conceptualize different ways to teach history – through academic works, literature, and manga. The tetralogy of Yukio Mishima is a series of four novels written by the Japanese author Yukio Mishima, published between 1965 and 1970. The four novels, which are …
The Ten Ox-Herding Pictures, also known as the Ten Bulls or Ten Ox-Herding Poems, is a series of illustrations and accompanying verses that depict the stages of spiritual development in Zen Buddhism. The ten stages are: The Ten Ox-Herding Pictures are primarily associated with Zen Buddhism and the path to enlightenment within that tradition. However, …
In Japan, I will be visitng many temples and shrines. As a westerner, all the statues can be confusing for someone raised in a different cultural context. But, rest assured, everything has meaning. For example, when a Buddha statue depicts the hand in a downward position, it typically symbolizes the act of “earth touching” or …
One of the most fun challenges of travel abroad is the different languages that you encounter. For every country I travel to, I do some language study – if nothing else – so I have the ability to order food and exchange greetings in the local language. Nothing will help you to see the world …
With limited time left before traveling, it is time to start thinking about possible itinerary decisions. It is impossible to see everything, and each different option must be considered. Take a look at these two sample itineraries, one generic “24 hours in Kyoto” and one with some places I’d like to see. Morning (8:00 AM …
The Kumano Hongū Taisha (熊野本宮大社) is a Shinto shrine located in Hongu, Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the Kumano Sanzan, the three grand shrines of the Kumano region, and is dedicated to the kami (deities) of the Kumano region. The Kumano Hongū Taisha is considered the main and most important of the …
One of the greatest results of traveling is the new ideas that come when you are on the road. I always bring a notebook and something to write with – I prefer it to an electronic device – and record my thoughts when I am traveling. A change of scenery can do wonders for creative …
When I first started traveling alone, before the smartphone era, I would use guides like Fodors and LonelyPlanet to help me abroad. I would cut the glue-bound books up and carry little sections that I’d reassembled, which were relevant to me. I never thought of that as “cheating” in travel design and it helped me …
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