diff --git a/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/IMG_1254.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/IMG_1254.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f1310fd --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/IMG_1254.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:f0641f0a090eda4e560179c5066762ccb59c05ab84cc957b907b2eaeb1eca96e +size 1390291 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/index.md b/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3cb29e --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/fuji-san-from-the-plane/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +--- +title: "富士山 from the Plane" +slug: fuji-san-from-the-plane +date: 2023-04-09T13:56:45+09:00 +draft: true +--- + +On our way into Ōsaka, we flew south over Tōkyō, passing Fuji-san on the port +side of the plane. It's very big, and very round! diff --git a/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/IMG_1282.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/IMG_1282.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e327fe0 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/IMG_1282.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:2581aa6a00a4c941a5a0604d1f758aa224a969855a89a6ab15f740cfb14eb3e1 +size 3754439 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/index.md b/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01246d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,13 @@ +--- +title: "伏見稲荷大社の鳥居" +slug: fushimi-inari-torii +date: 2023-04-10T09:26:29+09:00 +draft: true +series: 2023-japan +categories: Travel +tags: ["Nature", "Temples", "日本"] +--- + +The challenge at {{< ruby "Fushimi Inari-Taisha" ja >}}伏見稲荷大社{{< /ruby >}}, +is to capture both the manmade and natural elements of the shrine. I don’t think +I really did it in any of the photos I took. Here is an attempt. diff --git a/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/IMG_1495.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/IMG_1495.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a57aec --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/IMG_1495.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:e56535e459682997e8e02892d93b8c2ce480c968659be900013d0319703050a7 +size 1544155 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/eaves-thumbnail.jpg b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/eaves-thumbnail.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80522b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/eaves-thumbnail.jpg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:6a1353839ff96521465989ec29149f70de878441cee73711055632098709b3eb +size 718934 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/index.md b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6de5d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/imperial-palace-eaves/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +--- +title: "Eaves of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto" +date: 2023-04-12T14:15:18+09:00 +draft: true +resources: + - name: eaves + src: IMG_1495.jpeg + params: +thumbnail: eaves-thumbnail.jpg +--- + diff --git a/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/IMG_1395.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/IMG_1395.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ff6f2a --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/IMG_1395.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:8759a69e1625308dbe759fc407445f5d0059ae158ee8f61fcbe2bf4381ecd3e0 +size 3259303 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/index.md b/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe77679 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/kinkaku-ji/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ +--- +title: "金閣寺" +slug: kinkaku-ji +date: 2023-04-11T14:52:07+09:00 +draft: true +series: 2023-japan +categories: Travel +tags: ["Nature", "Temples", "日本"] +--- + +Kinkaku-ji was built as a private residence for some famous lord. The house and +surrounding grounds are beautiful; you can really imagine escaping there for a +few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of Japanese court life. In his +will, this lord bequeathed the site to his favorite Buddhist sect who +transformed it into a temple. diff --git a/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/IMG_1347.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/IMG_1347.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..56caec4 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/IMG_1347.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:887b673f93054f05ae78a17ef96b424a3f621f0734b362a2a76e820138844c5e +size 4216596 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/index.md b/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ae86b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,14 @@ +--- +title: "清水寺" +slug: kiyomizu-dera-pagoda +date: 2023-04-10T15:56:04+09:00 +draft: true +categories: Travel +series: 2023-japan +tags: ["Nature", "Temples", "日本"] +--- + +[Kiyomizu-Dera][website], {{< lang jp >}}清水寺{{< /lang >}}, is a Buddhist temple in the hills on the east side of +Kyoto. + +[website]: https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/ diff --git a/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/IMG_1679.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/IMG_1679.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2cd63d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/IMG_1679.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:2540fd30ab5eba15123624fa3e21c5a1b2b8b3a36046f9bdc089c956d9240c3b +size 3103318 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/index.md b/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1e13bc --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/shibuya-hachiko/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +--- +title: "The Goodest Good Boy" +date: 2023-04-16T10:40:18+09:00 +draft: true +series: 2023-japan +categories: ["Travel"] +tags: ["Me", "Tess", "日本"] +--- + diff --git a/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/IMG_1690.jpeg b/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/IMG_1690.jpeg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a45b39 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/IMG_1690.jpeg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:d8d0e553518b6bba26de96607cc01fe014766daaa0234355dea2a77f0daa90be +size 1835363 diff --git a/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/index.md b/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36fa32c --- /dev/null +++ b/content/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@ +--- +title: "Souflée Pancakes at Rainbow Pancake" +date: 2023-04-16T13:35:14+09:00 +draft: true +--- + diff --git a/content/series/2023-japan/_index.md b/content/series/2023-japan/_index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6c1adb --- /dev/null +++ b/content/series/2023-japan/_index.md @@ -0,0 +1,233 @@ +--- +title: "Traveling to 日本" +draft: true +date: 2023-01-31T09:28:13-08:00 +--- + +At the beginning of April 2023, {{< tess >}} and I traveled to Japan for two weeks. + +## {{< ruby Kyōto ja >}}京都{{< /ruby >}} + +After a twelve hour flight from San Franciso, we landed in Osaka around 2:30 in +the afternoon on Sunday. We cleared customs, and headed to the {{< ruby Haruka +ja >}}はるか{{< /ruby >}} Express from KIX to Kyōto. After taking a brief walk +around the neighborhood to get our bearings, we found dinner at a tiny izakaya +in an alley on the western side of Kyōto's biggest river, the {{< ruby +Kamogawa ja >}}鴨川{{< /ruby >}}. + +### Day 2 + +The next day we were up bright and early -- thanks jet lag! -- and headed to {{< +ruby "Fushimi Inari-Taisha" ja >}}伏見稲荷大社{{< /ruby >}} a Shinto shrine +taking up an entire mountain known for its [sprawling +pathways][fushimi-inari-torii] lined with bright vermillion {{< ruby torii ja +>}}鳥居{{< /ruby >}}. + +{{< figures/image name="fushimi-inari-path.jpg" >}} + +We had lunch with Tess' friend and colleague Florian and his wife Namino at a +nearby spot known for its grilled eel. That afternoon, we walked from our AirBnb +up to [{{< ruby Kiyomizu-dera ja >}}清水寺{{< /ruby >}}][kiyomizu-dera-post] +temple, a Buddhist temple in the hills on the east side of Kyoto, then wandered +back through Gion and down the arcade shopping streets in central Kyoto. We +ended the night at a newly-opened craft beer bar run by a French man with a +substantial selection of craft beers from all over Japan. + +### Day 3 + +The third day, we were up early again. We got a quick breakfast at a local +place, and hopped on the train to {{< ruby Nara ja >}}奈良{{< /ruby >}}, the +ancient capital city of Japan. Nara's main city park is home to hundreds of wild +deer that tourists can feed with rice crackers bought from stands throughout the +park. + +The main draw for us was {{< ruby Tōdai-ji ja >}}東大寺{{< /ruby >}} temple, a +Buddhist temple in the middle of Nara Park that houses a truly enormous cast +bronze Buddha. After visiting our biggest buddy, we grabbed lunch at a cafe in +Nara and hopped back on the train to Kyoto. + +Once we made it back, we took a bus up to {{< ruby Kinkaku-ji ja >}}金閣寺{{< +/ruby >}} temple, a.k.a. the Golden Pavillion. + +{{< photo "2023/kinkaku-ji" >}} + +We ended the day with a stop at [Beer Pub Takumiya][beerpub-takimuya], staffed by +three gregarious and friendly Japanese guys. We got some much-needed time off +our feet and had a good time chatting with them, and the Austrailian guy who sat +next to us. After struggling to find a noodle place, we ended up at a small +izakaya in a tiny alley off one of Kyoto's busy main streets. + +### Day 4 + +Our fourth and final full day in Kyoto was rainy. We started with a stop at +Lorimer Kyoto for a real Japanese breakfast. The food was fantastic, though we +were both a little put off by the constant stream of Christian praise music they +had going. We stopped at Walden Woods for a coffee on the way back to the +Airbnb. + +After collecting a load of laundry we'd left in the machine downstairs, we took +the train north a few stops and walked over to {{< ruby Heian-jingu ja +>}}平安神宮{{< /ruby >}}. _(Explanation of what this shrine is.)_ Wrapping +around the shrine itself is a beautiful garden filled with native trees and +plants, ponds and rivers. It was lovely to wander the pathways in the light +rainfall. + +We walked from there to the [Kyoto Handicrafts +Center][kyoto-handicrafts-center], stopped in a place for udon, and took a bus +over to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto-Gyoen. We had hoped to catch an English +language tour, but it was canceled that day, so we took a brochure and wandered +the grounds, marveling at the blending of Heian and Edo period architecture. The +grounds have some lovely gardens. + +On the way to the palace we happened upon [Tozando][tozando] where they sell +martial arts gear, including {{< ruby iaitō ja >}}居合刀{{< /ruby >}} and real +{{< ruby nihontō ja >}}日本刀{{< /ruby >}}. One of my goals for this trip was to +find and purchase a sword, and I did! + +After our stop at Tozando, we met our friends Ana, Megumi, and their new baby +Sen for dinner at their apartment near Kyoto University. Ana and Megumi are real +foodies and pulled out all the stops for us: two very interesting bottles of +sake, a 60-day dry aged ribeye, and a number of {{< ruby kyo-yasai ja >}} +京野菜{{< /ruby >}}, or locally grown veggies. We wrapped it all up with freshly +made mochi wrapped in mulberry leaves, and some popcicles. + +### Day 5 + +Thursday was a travel day. We had breakfast and coffee in the morning, then +packed up and checked out of our AirBnb. With a few hours to go until our train +to {{< ruby Kanazawa jp >}}金沢{{< /ruby >}}, we did some shopping and wrote +some postcards. After a quick bowl of ramen for lunch, we caught the {{< ruby +Thunderbird ja >}}サンダーバード{{< /ruby >}} Express from Kyoto to Kanazawa. + +## {{< ruby Kanazawa ja >}}金沢{{< /ruby >}} + +We arrived at our ryokan almost two hours late. They had clearly been waiting +for us. We were greeted warmly by the staff and led to our room where we were +given tea and a sweet and educated about how to wear our yukata and samue by a +very sweet and patient Japanese lady. We took some time to get settled in our +room, bathed, and enjoyed our private onsen bath. Dinner was at 19:00: an +elaborate {{< ruby kaiseki ja >}}解析{{< /ruby >}} meal made up of a multitude of +small dishes of all different kinds. + +### Day 6 + +In the morning, our Japanese hostess brought us breakfast. Tess enjoyed the +onsen in our room while I explored the public onsen on the grounds. Our ryokan +has three public baths: one large gender-segregated bath downstairs, and two +baths on the roof that swap between men-only and women-only at set times of day. + +At 10 we took a shuttle to Mattō station and a local train to +{{< ruby "Kanazawa Station" ja en >}}金沢駅{{< /ruby >}}. When we arrived in +Kanazawa, we walked to [Curio Espresso][curio-espress] for a coffee. (Breakfast +didn't include coffee, and neither Tess nor I are quite able to give that up.) +From there we walked to Kanazawa Castle and the {{< ruby Kenrokuen ja >}} +兼六園{{< /ruby >}} garden. + +On advice from Ana, we tried to go to [7th Gyoza no Mise][7th-gyoza], but it +ended up being too long a wait. From there we got back on the bus to Kanazawa +Eki, got some lunch in the station, and took the local train back to Mattō. + +Back at the ryokan, we had a langorous soak in the onsen and another beautiful +and delicious kaiseki meal before turning in for the night. + +### Day 7 + +Time to leave the ryokan. In the morning we had breakfast at the ryokan and then +got ready to check out by 10:00. We took the shuttle to Mattō station, and the +local train to Kanazawa. There, we bought a pair of tickets for the {{< ruby +shinkansen ja >}}新幹線{{< /ruby >}} to {{< ruby Tōkyō ja >}}東京{{< /ruby >}}. + +Fast trains gonna go fast. + +## {{< ruby Tōkyō ja >}}東京{{< /ruby >}} + +Our train dropped us off at {{< ruby "Tōkyō Station" ja >}}東京駅{{< /ruby >}}, +which is _quite_ an introduction to the hustle of Japan's biggest city. In terms +of sheer size and number of people, Tōkyō is on another level from any city I've +been in. We made it successfully to the Uedo line that brought us to a stop near +our hotel, the [New Otani][new-otani]. + +After we got settled, we went for a walk around our new neighborhood. We both +needed a little pick-me-up, and we found [Hocus Pocus][hocus-pocus], a small +nearby cafe selling donuts and pour over coffee. + +Despite the rain, we still wanted to get out and explore a bit. We took the +train over to {{< ruby Shinjuku ja >}}新宿{{< /ruby >}} station where I got some +good pictures of the bright lights of Shinjuku in the rain. We got soup curry at +[Dominica][dominica-maps], a hard-to-find spot down an alley and a flight of +stairs, and one of Tess' favorite spots. It was fantastic. She was also excited +to show me some of her favorite spots in Shinjuku 2丁目, Tōkyō's gayborhood, so +we closed out the night with drinks at [Rainbow +Burritos][rainbow-burritos-maps]. + +### Day 8 + +After more than a week in Japan, this was the first that I actually slept until +a reasonable wake up time: 7:00. Imagine! + +Tess and I were up and out reasonably early this morning, and took the train to +Shibuya where we found coffee and toast at a small boutique shop called +[Rec Coffee][rec-coffee]. This place was great. Tess bought some beans to take +home. ☕️ + +After coffee, we walked back to Shibuya station to say hello to the goodest good +boy that ever was good, Hachiko. + +{{< photo "2023/shibuya-hachiko" >}} + +We crossed the Scramble and spent a while perusing the floors of [Hands][hands], +where we (fortunately; more on that later) bought umbrellas, and then dove into +Harajuku. + +We got [souflée pancakes][souflee-pancakes] for lunch at [Rainbow +Pancake][rainbow-pancake] and wandered down Cat Street checking out shops along +the way. + +Tess' friend Ray met us at the end of Takeshita-dori as it started to rain. +After a rather intense and very brief rain storm (including some hail and +lightning -- so glad we happend to buy umbrellas earlier!) we sat and chatted at +Blue Bottle, bought some gifts at [Kiddy Land][kiddy-land], and I bought a +yukata at a vintage clothing store called Chicago. + +- [Five G][five-g] synth shop +- Seiko Seed +- Meiji-jingu + +We wrapped up our day with dinner at [Sushizanmai][sushizanmai] and a drink at +[Goodbeer Faucets][goodbeer]. + +### Day 9 + + +### Day 10 + + +### Day 11 + +### Day 12 + +### Day 13 + +### Day 14 + +### Day 15 + +[fushimi-inari-torii]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii" >}} "Fushimi Inari Torii" +[kiyomizu-dera-post]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda" >}} "Kiyomizu-Dera Pagoda" +[kyoto-handicrafts-center]: # +[tozando]: # +[beerpub-takimuya]: https://maps.apple.com/?address=%E3%80%92604-0836,%20%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%BA,%20%E8%88%B9%E5%B1%8B%E7%94%BA400&auid=18427312708155676432&ll=35.012182,135.760673&lsp=9902&q=BEER%20PUB%20Takumiya +[curio-espress]: https://www.curioespresso.com/our-story/ +[7th-gyoza]: https://www.white-gyouza.co.jp/branch/kanazawa.html +[new-otani]: https://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/ +[hocus-pocus]: https://hocuspocus.jp/ +[dominica-maps]: https://goo.gl/maps/spLdi6JwYfcFPdmY8 +[rainbow-burritos-maps]: https://goo.gl/maps/p3wx1Rs3yXVmPaU76 +[rec-coffee]: https://rec-coffee.com/pages/shibuyahigashi +[hands]: https://info.hands.net/ +[rainbow-pancake]: http://rainbowpancake.net +[souflee-pancakes]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/souflee-pancakes" >}} "Souflée Pancakes" +[kiddy-land]: https://www.kiddyland.co.jp/ +[five-g]: https://fiveg.net/ +[sushizanmai]: https://tokyocheapo.com/food-and-drink/sushi/cheapo-sushi-sushizanmai/ +[goodbeer]: # diff --git a/content/series/2023-japan/fushimi-inari-path.jpg b/content/series/2023-japan/fushimi-inari-path.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e32b747 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/series/2023-japan/fushimi-inari-path.jpg @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:5d35dbfd179b177750c8b0881e03d731301751b107c2ad4462c8367cc9b618ee +size 5697195