May 27, 2021On the Trail of an Ancient MysticIt isn’t just 19th century diaries or 1,000-year-old texts from where I draw my inspiration. Japan has a wonderful well of ideas to draw from in the many ancient roads that crisscross the landscape. Some, like the Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo are still comparatively well-travelled, even today. Others, like the…Japan11 min read
May 13, 2021Kishiwada Castle and the Spirit of the LotusKishiwada Castle does not rank highly on most destination lists and I must confess that even I have only visited the once. Nonetheless, despite being a modern, concrete reconstruction, it is still worthy of attention. It was quite a miserable day when I made my way there. A steel grey…Japanese History12 min read