Goshuin number 3 is from the 大勧進 (Daikanjin), another temple in the Zenkōji complex. Not much to say about this […]

天ざるそば — Tenzaru Soba
Since coming to Japan, I have fallen in love with tenzaru soba. I first had zaru soba on a hot […]
御朱印第2番ー大本願
Goshoin number two is from the 大本願* (Daihongan), a temple in the Zenkōji complex. I’ll be honest, I mostly got […]

オムライス ― Omurice
The word ‘omurice’ is a contraction of the words ‘omelet’ and ‘rice’ — guess what the ingredients are?? Well, besides […]
What is a 御朱印?
A 御朱印 (goshuin) is a specific kind of stamp that you can get at temples across Japan. They usually cost […]

お好み焼き ― Okonomiyaki
My mouth is watering already….. Okonomiyaki is probably my favorite Japanese dish, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the […]

飯縄山 — Mt. Iizuna
Even though it seems to have been raining every weekend for forever, I managed to find a brief lapse in […]

Ode to Fuzzy Socks and Kotatsu
Ohhhhhh fuzzy socks. How I love you so. You keep the frigid clutches of frostbite away from my poor, defenseless […]

Gaijin Traps and Potholes
I’m posting this story reeeally late, but better late than never right? It’s about the adventures a friend of mine […]

黒姫コスモス — Kurohime Cosmos
After a lovely cruise around Lake Nojiri followed by some amazing blueberry ice cream, I found myself close to the […]