Category Archives: Japan

Start with a slice of green tea and chocolate tart

Posted on September 29, 2013 by simpletravelourway

Where did we start our round-the-world trip? We weighed the merits of various countries, calculated whether going East or West made the most sense, and looked at climate charts for where best to visit in September.   We considered a number … Continue reading →

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Typhoon!

Posted on September 25, 2013 by simpletravelourway

While in Kyoto, Typhoon Man-yi headed our way.  In the evening the winds picked up, and a heavy rain followed. Before we went to sleep, we opened the curtains and looked out at the rapidly rising water in the canal … Continue reading →

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Death Defying Leap

Posted on September 21, 2013 by simpletravelourway

The practice is now banned, but, during the Edo Period, to fulfill a wish, people would jump off the veranda of the Kiyomizudera Temple. If they lived, their wish would be granted. 85% survived the 40-foot fall.  As we stood … Continue reading →

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(Mis)adventures on our trip to Nijo Castle

Posted on September 17, 2013 by simpletravelourway

Lost!  We were only 2 weeks into our trip, and we lost our little traveling companion, Solbit.  Joe searched everywhere, but the zippered pocket where Solbit resided was wide open.  We were distraught. Solbit came to us unsolicited in an … Continue reading →

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Japan is more affordable than we expected

Posted on September 15, 2013 by simpletravelourway

A few years ago, when we were choosing which countries to visit on our round-the-world trip, we decided against visiting Japan.  We were sure that it would be over our modest budget. However, our friend, Stephen, was so enthusiastic about … Continue reading →

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Who are “the most helpful people in the world for travelers”?

Posted on September 13, 2013 by simpletravelourway

Between the two of us we’ve been to 36 countries.  OK, not a huge number, but enough to see a clear winner among those countries for our award for “the most helpful people in the world for travelers”.  The winner … Continue reading →

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Tokyo Themes

Posted on September 12, 2013 by simpletravelourway

While we strolled, we played a game of spotting “Tokyo themes”.  Themes set a place apart.  If we gave you some examples of themes from Washington, DC they would be too many cupcake shops, a preference for wearing black (women) … Continue reading →

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Chilling out in the Tokyo heat wave

Posted on September 10, 2013 by simpletravelourway

We set our agenda for Japan: No rushing about; no long days of sightseeing; no pursuing the best dining in the best restaurants. What we needed more than anything was to chill out and relax after a hectic last month … Continue reading →

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WHAT CAN GO WRONG … ? (You know what comes next!)

Posted on September 7, 2013 by simpletravelourway

Don’t be alarmed!  We made it to Japan and had a restful first day strolling through Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.  “Restful” is exactly what we needed after the last few days. We always worry before any vacation.  Will something go … Continue reading →

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