About the Author
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile / Koreaphile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the Internets a better place. Thanks for reading!
Monthly Archives: April 2010
Buddhist Coffee?!
On the lighter side of things, in my recent to Japan, I noticed a curious trend there. For example, on the day we had to leave, my wife’s father drove us through the streets of Kawasaki City to the airport, … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Japanese, Language
5 Comments
Day Two in Nara, part 2: Todaiji Temple
The second temple we saw in Nara, not far from Kofukuji was none other than Todaiji itself, head of the Kegon sect of Buddhism. I have been to Todaiji five years before, but somehow felt the trip was incomplete, and … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Photography, Shingon, Travel
5 Comments
My Experience with the Shingon Fire Ritual
Recently while in Japan, a friend and reader named “Johnl” took me on a whirlwind tour of temples and shrines in Tokyo for a day, and the last trip was to a large Shingon Buddhist temple of the Daikakuji school … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Shingon
6 Comments
Port Arthur open to foreigners again
While getting settled back in the US, I wanted to share this article about the fact that Port Arthur in the People’s Republic of China is open to foreigners once again. This famous port, called Lǚshùn (旅顺, 旅順) in Chinese … Continue reading
Posted in China, Travel
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Sayonara Japan!
First, apologies on the cliched title. Sadly as I write this I must return home after a great and productive three weeks here in Japan. A few things to note on my trip: Studying Japanese at least to JLPT N4 … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Travel
4 Comments
Day Two in Nara: Kofukuji Temple
Note: This post is dedicated to reader “Rory”. After a nice day in Kyoto seeing both Chion-in and the Silver Pavilion, we left early the following day and took a long trip to Nara via the Kintetsu Line. Note to … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Hosso, Japan, Photography, Shingon, Travel
6 Comments
ATMs in Japan
So now that my three weeks in Japan is nearly complete, we managed to run out of cash. That was even largely *before* going to Kyoto and Nara. We took advantage of the better selection of food and clothes here … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Travel
5 Comments
Day One in Kyoto, part 2: Silver Pavilion
Of all the sites in Kyoto, one of the most famous is the Gold Pavilion, which I visited years ago (pictures on Flickr), but this time around, my wife wanted to visit the Silver Pavilion or Ginkakuji (銀閣寺), and I … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Photography, Travel, Zen
3 Comments
Thanks John!
Today I was treated with a nice tour of temples and shrines in the greater Tokyo area thanks to blog reader “Johnl”, who has lived there for a while and knows a lot of inside stuff. I took yet more … Continue reading
Posted in General
2 Comments
Day One in Kyoto: Chion-in Temple
As the first temple we visited in our three-day tour of Kyoto and Nara, we came to the temple of Chion-in, which is the home temple of the main Chinzei branch of Jodo Shu Pure Land Buddhism. Readers may recall … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Jodo Shu, Travel
9 Comments
