10 latest experiences http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy en-us Viewing cherry blossoms (or ‘sakura’) is a very important part of the Japanese calendar. From around mid-late March through until early May the cherry blossoms sweep the country from bottom to top in a wave of beautiful white and pink petals. The cherry blossoms arrive at the beginning of both the academic and fiscal years in Japan – a time for remembering the past and celebrating new beginnings. Millions of Japanese take to Japan’s parks in the usually quite agreeable spring temperatures armed with blankets, picnic baskets brimming with food and bottles of sake - the consumption of which helps you appreciate the fleeting beauty of the sakura tenfold. Or just helps you get really drunk. In Japanese, the viewing of the blossoms is called ‘hanami’ (花見), with the word using the Chinese characters for 'flower' (花) and 'to watch', 'look' or 'see' (見). Who says Japanese is difficult? Usually, people like to view the blossoms when the sun is shining, the birds are sin... Fukuoka, Japan christophertracy Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:57:22 +0000 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1161 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1161 My dad wanted us to go to Kumamoto castle. Not that I was averse to make the trip, of course, but after seeing five of Japan’s prefectures in the space of about ten days, I was in no rush to add another one to an already exhausting schedule. He wanted to visit Kumamoto not only for the historical and cultural insights he hoped to glean from the trip, but because ‘The Last Samurai’ was filmed there, too. Kumamoto, Japan christophertracy Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:15:18 +0000 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1149 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1149 My Japanese teacher organised our trip to Shimane and, before I arrived at Kokura station in Kitakuyshu on the Friday night with my friends and fellow Japanese travellers, I’ll admit that I didn’t really know where Shimane was and what we were going to do when we got there. What I did know, however, was that the journey would begin with an overnight bus journey which, to put it mildly, I was in no way looking forward to. I endured a somewhat sleepless night where I couldn’t decide on the least uncomfortable place to put my head – either on my friend’s shoulder or in the palm of my hand, having propped my elbow on the chair’s arm rest. Needless to say, I arrived at our destination, a hotel somewhere in Shimane prefecture, feeling tired, groggy and somewhat irritable. And that’s where I was first introduced to the wonders of onsen – Japanese hot springs or baths. We shuffled into the hotel and, after a brief stop at the reception where we were divided into two groups ... Izumo, Japan christophertracy Fri, 23 Nov 2007 14:17:47 +0000 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1140 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1140 After two bus journeys and a ferry ride, and armed with a set of directions kindly supplied by a local shopkeeper for the next leg of our journey, when my friend and I saw our third and penultimate bus pull up in the dusty car park opposite us, we were understandably relieved. Relief soon turned into worry, however, when the driver jumped down from his seat, picked up a wrench, and promptly battered the front of his already creaky-looking death trap. One of the wipers fell off, so he picked it up off the ground and hammered it back into place with the aid of brute force and, one supposes, some now very bent metal. We hopped on the rickety bus and were treated to some pretty Korean countryside as we wound along the tracks nestled between farmer’s fields and the small, green hills. We reached the most treacherous part of the road – a thin, winding path whose uneven surface rocked the bus from side to side – so the driver took this ideal opportunity to whip out his mobile and make... Taean-dong, South Korea christophertracy Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:15:23 +0000 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1142 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1142 For those of you planning on spending a week or two in Japan, you should almost certainly invest in the Japan Rail Pass. From around £115, the pass gives you unlimited use of Japan’s railways (excluding the fastest ‘Nozomi’ bullet trains), and is probably the most affordable way to see as much of the country as possible. Into the bargain, the pass enables you to catch the ferry to Miyajima Island in Hiroshima for free – a worthwhile trip that, while not likely to prove the highlight of your time in Japan, is a fantastic way to spend a morning or afternoon – breathing in the fresh air, appreciating the Japanese architecture, and dodging the wildlife. The ferry ride itself takes less than half an hour, and the ferries’ regularity such that even at peak times it’s unlikely you’ll have to wait for very long before you’re either on your way to, or on your way back from, the island. The first thing you’ll notice is the deer – they’re everywhere. And the second th... Miyajima, Japan christophertracy Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:38:14 +0000 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1139 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1139 Despite having been up several mountains in my time, I've never actually climbed one. So yesterday, when I set off with a couple of friends to climb Sangunzan (Mt. Sangun) in Fukuoka, I was quite excited. Fukuoka, Japan christophertracy Sun, 07 Oct 2007 08:56:44 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/1001 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/1001 We had spent the afternoon exploring winding paths that had led us up steep hills and sent us down old stone steps, encountering a fair few pagodas, temples and stalls along the way. I sat for a long time in one of the temple-like structures and pondered life before buying a gift from a kind woman at one of the stalls. At the end of the path there was another shop which, as well as selling the awful Korean lager with which I'd regrettably grown so familiar, also offered boat rides up the river. So, clutching our Korean lagers (we were desperate), we bought two tickets and waited for the boat to arrive. In the meantime, the shop owner – a big bloke, with broad shoulders, sizeable arms, and a deep but kind voice – threw me a bottle of water and said it was ‘service.’ Puyŏ, South Korea christophertracy Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:38:57 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/993 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/993 Before I came to live in Japan I was able to read to Japanese, so armed with the knowledge of a few food-related nouns and adjectives, I was able to determine whether my dinner would be noodles, raw horse, or perhaps char grilled pig innards. But when I visited Korea this year, with my proficiency in Korean stretching as far as ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank you’, and sometimes getting those mixed up, I didn’t fancy my chances when it came to navigating a menu. Seoul, South Korea christophertracy Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:15:49 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/981 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/981 Like most of my classmates, I used to hate visiting museums as a school boy. I’m sure the teachers hated it as much as we did, too. Imagine trying to control 65 unruly children as they dart about the Ashmolean seeing how quickly they can walk-but-not-quite-run around the display cabinets playing - what we as ten year-olds suspected was a very discreet, but to everyone else a very obvious - game of ‘It’. I can safely say I don’t remember a single thing from those museum visits and, like everyone else, I considered the highlight the gift shop at the end and parting with my 50 pence piece for a rubber in the shape of Tutankhamun or caveman snot. But as I matured and took a keen interest in history, I grew to love museums and when planning trips would always be sure to note those reputable enough to warrant my attention along the way, and attempt to visit as many of them as possible. Therefore, when I visited Nagasaki last year, one of my first ports of call was the Nagasaki Gen... Nagasaki, Japan christophertracy Mon, 01 Oct 2007 08:48:02 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/969 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/969 In peak season, Kyoto can feel more like a theme park than the cultural capital of Japan. Buses are shoved around the city, fit to bursting with tourists eager to see the likes of Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavillion), Ginkakuji (its silver silver sibling), and Kiyomizudera, whose waters are said to bring health, longevity and success in one’s studies. Making your way around the main sites can involve a lot of queuing, even more pushing, and perhaps the odd grunt if some blighter jabs you in the ribs with their umbrella. What would otherwise be short journeys around the city have the potential to turn into lengthy and frustrating ordeals. Well, stuff your temples, your tea houses, and your geishas and make your way to Arashiyama to appreciate Kyoto’s real beauty amongst sloping hills, rippling waters and, if you pick your season, either the beautiful cherry blossoms of spring, or the deep reds, bright yellows and mellow oranges of the trees’ leaves in autumn. Kyōto, Japan christophertracy Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:41:17 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/christophertracy/experience/968 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/968