05/01/2017
The 10th Kyushu trip in 2016
Traveling is always a “need” to refresh and relax myself after the stressful work and drive for my life balance. The first time I visited Kyushu was more than 2 decades with my granny, it was definitely an old village with some beautiful sceneries came to my mind. After traveling in Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and Okinawa, Kyushu has ever been the most popular traveling choices for me in Japan annually since 2008. It is always a good place to travel with family, friends or alone with the cleanness, beauty of nature, traditional culture, convenience, safeness, friendliness of locals and tones of uncountable exceptional experiences when you explore each of the prefectural (県).
26/12/2016
Vacation through Kyushu
Beautiful public garden at Kagoshima, on the way to Sakurajima
26/12/2016
Kagoshima garden
Very beautiful garden, to visit on the way to Sakurajima
25/12/2016
My Favorite Places In Kyushu
When people talk about going to Japan, they usually mention the busy metropolis- Tokyo, the fluffy snow and fresh produce in Hokkaido or the sapphire sky and crystal clear sea of Okinawa. But for this post, I'll talk about my favorite part of Japan- Kyushu.
23/12/2016
Seeking Love in Nagasaki!
Many people knows Nagasaki for a not very pleasant reason, but it's no fault of the city really. However, I have to confess how Nagasaki emerged like a reborn phoenix from a devastated city into a sparkling pearl in the post war era made me captivated!
Hopefully my short post on Nagasaki can share more prominence what this city currently brings. Let us begin from Nagasaki Station!
21/12/2016
A Meeting of Minds: How East and West M…
When I heard the news that Kumamoto Prefecture had been hit with a massive earthquake I got really worried. I was worried for the friends I had made there during my time as an exchange student in 2008, worried for their families, and worried about what happened to the city of Kumamoto and the surrounding villages. Fortunately my friends and their families were safe, but the damage to the city was another story. Buildings had giant cracks in them, the keep of Kumamoto Castle was wrecked, and this building was completely flattened.
This was the Janes' Residence- a house dating back to 1971 to house L.L Janes and his family, an American who had been hired by the School of Western Learning to teach English in the city. It was originally situated closer to the castle, but was moved about a few times before finding its spot in Suizenji Garden. I went there as part of a little school trip with fellow students- international and local- through Suizenji Park. By this point I had been in Kumamoto for about 3-4 months and had settled quite well into Japan, but seeing the odd Western-style building amongst the more modern Japanese-style constructs always piqued my interest- particularly older ones like the Janes' Residence.
The interior was just as unique- as if time had stopped for the place the moment the Janes' family returned to America and left the building, save for the bollards with the velvet ropes set around certain sections. But my most striking memory of the Janes' Residence was coming across a display case containing a series of books Mr Janes had written in at the time. Log books, entry books, notes- all laid open to bare in the cases. I thought I'd try looking through one when one of my Japanese friends noticed me and, with a smile, asked 'Can you read that?'. I found it kind of funny at the time as, if it were the other way around- us taking a tour of the UK- it's likely she'd be asked the same question whenever something with a kanji character cropped up, whether it was Japanese, Chinese or otherwise (as sad as that may be to admit). Unfortunately for her I couldn't quite make it out as the cursive joined-up handwriting had become a little too faded for me to make out.
But that funny memory, and this photo of me standing outside the Residence, has stood out to me for all these years. It's one I often think back on when I think of my time in Japan, and why I felt particularly heartbroken when I found out the building had been completely flattened during the earthquake. I'm hoping it could be rebuilt with whatever could be salvaged, but even if it can't then at least I have my photos and my memories.
17/12/2016
A couple's foodie journey to Kyush…
Theater style ramen at Mengekijo Genei ramen. We ate this ramen seated in a theater style setting while watching the chef prepare our food.
10/11/2016
...Traveling makes more friend througho…
Travelers got many things from traveling in Japan
Someone got the experiences, Someone got the inspirations, Someone got the wonderful memories
...I also got that things but I also got something more...... I got a friend!!!...
Throw back to January 2016. I went to the wonderful prefectures, Miyazaki and Kagoshima. I had been to Kyushu before this trip for 2 times but I had never been to these two prefectures.
..In this article I will focus on Kagoshima, my friend's hometown...
When I step on Kagoshima, I don't know anyone in this prefecture. I spent three days with the beautiful attractions...Environment, food, weather and people is really nice.