This past weekend the boy and I hit road (rails?) for a weekend visit to Osaka. When planning out our stops I leaned toward a visit to Osaka Castle, since we would already, you know, be in Osaka. Also it's regularly cited as a top castle in Japan. Then I started asking friends for ideas …
Continue reading Himeji Castle: A Really Cool Castle, Plus Augmented Reality Done Right
After arriving in Osaka and leaving our bags at our hotel room, Cy and I headed out to see the lights of Dotombori, the famous stretch of riverside neon--and tourists. The guide book promised tourists, and they weren't kidding. The crowds immediately reminded me of the tacky splendor of Times Square in New York. But alas, …
A few weeks ago the family planned to go camping this weekend, and Mark and I decided to check the weather forecast around Wednesday before committing. Since we're in the thick of the rainy season, the odds of a rainy weekend were pretty high. Not surprisingly, Sunday's forecast calls for heavy rain and thunderstorms. Having …
According to the venerable Japan Times, the rainy season has officially started in Western, Central, and Eastern Japan (I guess the North is still dry, for now). For six weeks starting around mid-June, monsoon-like conditions can lead to puddles, mold, and general despair. Followed by nasty, humid, disgusting heat, of course. Welcome to Japanese summer! …
Continue reading The Rainy Season Has Officially Begun and I Love My Japanese Rain Boots
When we arrived in Japan in 2015, the kids started their schooling at St. Maur International School that autumn. In addition to educating the young'uns, St. Maur gives parents all kinds of learning opportunities through its Adult Enrichment program. Loyal martayaki readers may recall past blog posts about tea ceremonies in yukata and kimono, and visiting the Kiyoken shu mai …
martayaki 