For a while now Indi has been talking about going on a pilgrimage. The hikes have been going great, goals reached, peaks climbed. So she wants to increase the challenge,…
Fully Booked – Fully Hooked, The Gambler
The other day a voice beamed through the air and convinced me that I should write about books. So in case this is boring, don’t blame me. What prompted the…
Different Priorities
Indi and I get along really well. Be it movies, music, or people, we often find our interests aligning, long conversations blooming where they cross, while also maintaining a sense…
Indi Tells a Story
The sky was blue and beautiful, a good day was in sight. Despite the poor sleep of our previous night, we were ready to hike up to Mount Gassan. The…
The Kingdom of the Monkey Skull
Noon on Yakushima Island. We have been hiking for nine hours, and are still far removed from our destination. Amidst the vines and boulders I spot something surprising right before…
The Return of the Fat Monkey
South of the Four Countries and the Nine Provinces there lies an island, touched, neither by the slow but all consuming hand of time, nor by the oft haphazard, chaotic,…
Jesus, Guns, and … Tempura?
Picture a mountainous coastline, cut by plentiful inlets and straits, treacherous to ships whose captains don’t know the bays, but which also hides a safe port of call for those…
Sanjuro, the Last and Only Feudal Lord in Japan
Five centuries ago, Japan was divided and at war. Hundreds of domains, many more warlords, and constant battle destabilised the country for decades. Soon, the ruling military class started clearing…
Out of Service: Escaping Tokyo’s Timetable
Tokyo is a world unto itself, with a population larger than most countries, innovation and creativity to match, and a public transit network that knows no equals. Over forty railway…
The Seventh Floor
Recently I came across an article by an interior designer, showing off a bar they opened about two months ago. Intrigued, I tried to locate it on a map of…