It sure didn’t take long for the thermometer to rise and the cherry blossoms are already on the way out. That’s really too bad because they were so pretty this year. Still, in the early morning it can be pretty chilly and hardly anything is better to wear on those cool flyer mornings than our very own [...]
Which one of these two fine Japanese-made telescopes do you think sport the finest optical glass in the world at this time? It may come as a surprise to many but the very best optical glass currently produced is not from Germany or America but from right here in Japan, by a small but prestigious Kanto [...]
One of nicest day trips by car that I can think of is a day spent at Rurikei. This is a mountain-top recreational area a few kilometers north of Nose-cho along Route 173, and just inside Kyoto Prefecture, Nantan City. Rurikei has a large number of sights with tons of things to do, and if [...]
For all the many Driving in Japan and Astronomy theme postings I have had, this is the first time it has occurred to me to combine them! Two of the most wonderful places within a couple of hours drive that offer both a small nest-egg of beauty as well as reasonably dark skies for deep [...]
Hello Dedicated Readers!! In this seventh driving installment, I’m putting out a challenge to anyone to try and guess where these beautiful buildings and gardens are located. I’ll give you some hints: It is in Kansai; you have to drive there; it is part of a site with several National Treasures in it; it is not [...]
I know it’s already well into December and people are starting to live without the beautiful colored leaves of autumn. My wife Yoko and I went on a total of five trips into the country this fall with the primary purpose of seeing maples, poplars, birches, cherriers and other deciduous tree species change color. This year has [...]
Hello readers! This is another must-read installment for my ‘Driving in Japan’ series and is highly recommended for those interested in driving country roads in Kyoto! In the north of Kyoto, there are three main routes which absolutely must be driven. In the West there is Route 162 which goes straight north through Takao and [...]
If you get the chance to go to Ishikawa Prefecture, make sure you stop into downtown Kanazawa City. Kanazawa, home and power base of the Maeda Clan, dates from the mid 17th Century in its prime. Much of the city center of Kanazawa is devoted to this history, and the star attraction Kenrokuen Garden, an 11.4 [...]
For those of you who haven’t been to the Osaka Aquarium, locally known as the Kaiyuukan ( 大阪 海遊館 )you are definitely missing out. Not only is this building an architectural masterpiece in its own right, but also a world-class aquarium facility housing dozens of North Pacific marine ecosystems. The star attraction is a main [...]
Hi everyone! Remember my recent posting entitled “Okanagan Wines at Hanshin Department Store”? The South Okanagan region in British Columbia is an area of stunning, pristine and unique natural beauty and its arid, desert climate is particularly well suited to grape and fruit production. In recent years, Ice Wine, properly spelled Eis Wein due to [...]
Bad Behavior has blocked 315 access attempts in the last 7 days.