Layovers can be made over.
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Last April, I received an automatic WordPress message, congratulating me on my 100th blog post. Whenever I reach a milestone like this, I can’t resist a look at the path behind me and the road ahead. My first blogging experience started in 2012, the night before my husband and I travelled to Provence. Friends had …
On my last day in Kyoto, I realized there had been one major gap in my Japanese sightseeing itinerary – a visit to a Zen garden. When I asked the hotel concierge for a recommendation, he didn’t hesitate. “Nanzenji. Very beautiful.” A quick taxi ride later, Nanzenji’s massive main gate came into view. I turned …
Twenty minutes ago, walking to the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts seemed like a good idea. Google Maps had told me it would take 52 minutes to get there, a time length I have easily walked back home in Edmonton. But somehow I forgot that Edmonton summer days don’t get to 34 C with 90% …
While a July day in Kyoto hums with cicadas, tourist bustle and summer heat, Kyoto after dark has a unique magic. The air is still warm, but the sun’s intensity is replaced by the glow of lanterns, neon signs, floodlit buildings, and people heading off to enjoy their evenings. Come along with me on this …
I’m a huge fan of taking walking tours when I’m visiting a new city, especially when I’m travelling on my own. Not only do I get a street level view of the place I’m calling home for a few days, but I have the chance to mingle a little with the locals and hear stories …
The students enrolled in Wakayama Studies, a course offered by the Faculty of Tourism at Wakayama University, got me intrigued. After I was invited to listen to their enthusiastic oral presentations about Wakayama Castle, I knew I had to add the site to my must-visit list before moving on from my work commitment in Wakayama to vacation in Kyoto.
On a baking hot quiet Sunday, with the cicadas shrilling from the trees, I walked 30 minutes from my hotel and suddenly saw the Castle peering down at me from its strategic perch above the city. It’s had a turbulent history dating back to feudal battles of the 16th century and 17th centuries, and was completely destroyed by the Allies in WW II. Wakayama residents applied to have it rebuilt in 1958 using its original design.
The day of my visit, I appeared to be one of the few non-Japanese visitors, and there weren’t even very many of them on site, making the visit a peaceful one.
Just past the entrance, a not-very- imposing Ninja was offering training in the arts of star throwing, sword play, and camouflage. I decided to watch a few local experts to get a sense of the technique before having a go myself.
After deciding to stick to my job as an educator, I climbed up the uneven stone steps to explore the Castle itself. It’s not hard to imagine its feudal history even as its views mingle with those of modern-day Wakayama City.
But there’s more to explore here than just the Castle itself. For a post-visit cool down, there’s a pleasantly shaded garden and pond to enjoy on your way out.
In Canadian contexts, using the word “old” to describe a building or place usually means you’re referring to somewhere with a few hundred years of history, sometimes much less. But in Japan, “old” takes on a much weightier significance. With my Wakayama University colleague Kazue at the wheel, we drove out of Wakayama City and …
If she’s being honest, every woman who travels on her own will admit there are times when her solo status on the road is not the awe-inspiring, joyous, freeing experience that many bloggers make it out to be. This happened to me on Sunday night. Two of my Wakayama University hosts had suggested we meet …
At 2:40 pm, a deep voiced chime which reminds me of our front door bell back in Edmonton tells students at Wakayama University they’ve got ten minutes to get to their next class. As they dribble past me in two and threes, I stand in the hallway and peer at my class observation itinerary. The …
Wise Woman Travel 