Travel to Japan and discover its people, history, cuisine, scenery, culture & arts.

Returning to my native village after many years’ absence,
I’ll, I put up at a country inn and listen to the rain.
One robe, one bowl is all I have.
I light incense and strain to sit in meditation.
All night a steady drizzle outside the dark window —
Inside, poignant memories of these long years of pilgrimage.

By Ryokan(1758-1831).

New gallery, Rain,  is up.   Please look for the kanji (Chinese character) for “ah.may“, rain, above —  atop this Front Page.  Also, please see and enjoy  Shapes & Shadows,  also a new gallery.

In front of Sutton Place hotel. Tokyo. 2008.

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Re:  a couple of emails received today concerning the Japanese Election.  In sum, it is a watershed event as turning out the (which was never “liberal” nor that “democratic”) in favor of the LDP.   The pressure’s now on for the DPJ (“Democratic Party of Japan”) as it has a lot to deliver and if it doesn’t begin delivering  —  on issues like unemployment, elder care, child care, farm issues — and delivering soon, the LDP would be poised to sweep right back in.  A friend of mine, a former U.S. Bureau Chief for a Japanese economic news wire service, wrote to me two days ago saying, in part:

“. . . but that doesn`t mean we trust 100 %  Mr. Hatoyama and DPJ led by him because their platform is too vague. . .”   They are promising to introduce new child benefit for all Japanese parents regardless of their income by just cutting waste of the central government budget.  They are also promising to abolish toll fee of expressway.   But they are going to finance it [by] cutting the waste. . .   They are promising many but are against tax increases.  In Tokyo, the DPJ will easily win the election.  I am not surprised at it.  In rural area like my hometown [  ], the LDP is likely to lose the election.  It is unbelievable because Japanese farmers had supported LDP for several decades.  DPJ pledges to gurantee farmers income and it is working.  You may have read a story  from Tokyo that Japanese people are hoping change and supporting DPJ.  That is overstated to some extent.  [Hatoyama] is no charismatic political leader . . .”

Otherwise, this site will steer mostly clear of politics.