Sam and I have been struck by the number of signs we encounter on the road that tell us about local history or local legends. This is a series of posts that translate these signs for readers of this blog so you can share with …
Sam and I have been struck by the number of signs we encounter on the road that tell us about local history or local legends. This is a series of posts that translate these signs for readers of this blog so you can share with …
The path from Temples 5 through 7 was, at times, depressing. Lots of homes and stores were shuttered and a surprising amount of farm land was converted into land for solar panels. One of the photos I regret not taking was one that would have …
The owner of Panda House, an inn near Temple 22 (Byôdôji), in the town of Aratano, had a lot of advice to give us about being a pilgrim. At one point in his patter, he nodded toward our staffs and said, “Whoever made those covers …
Sam and I have been struck by the number of signs we encounter on the road that tell us about local history or local legends. This is a series of posts that translate these signs for readers of this blog so you can share with …
Continue reading Landmarks: The Graves of the Monkey and the Hunter
Sam described the walk from Temple 1 to Temple 17 as being akin to the tutorial portion of a video game. In the tutorial, you have opportunities to learn how to move your character around the game space, how to encounter in-game characters and how …
My Japanese is pretty good after 40 years of study. Some days it is really good and I can see the pleasure my conversants have that we are speaking about all kinds of matters without hindrance. Some days, however, I am reminded of how many …
When I first came to Shikoku forty years ago, in 1983, we came by ferry. There was no other way. On a map, Shikoku appears tucked into a crook, like a bent knee, between Honshu and Kyushu, separated from the larger islands by a narrow …
(With apologies to Tim O’Brien for borrowing his great title). Our friend Jody, trekker of Ladakh and Shikoku alike, gave us a very specific packing list for what to carry on this trip. This is a good thing, in part because I am not an …
Continue reading 2. The Things I Am Carrying (The Gratitude Edition)
Sometime in the fall of 2022, Sam and I were standing at the base of a long stone staircase somewhere in Kyoto, looking up, unable to see the top. It might have been at Mt. Kurama, but I think it was at Tanukidani. We were …