Fall Foliage at Himukai-jinja in Kyoto

The fall colors are peaking right now in Kyoto. My wife Hiroe and I took advantage of the nice weather and walked into the Higashiyama Mountains near our house. We gave the Path of Philosophy, Ginkaku-ji, Eikan-do and Nanzen-ji a wide berth because of the incredible crowds. Instead, we hiked up above Kumano-nyakuoji-jinja and up to the ridge of the Higashiyama. From there we descended to Nanzen-oku-no-in and then walked over to Himukai-jinja. This shrine is usually deserted, but there are people everywhere in Kyoto now. Still, it was a lot quieter than other sites in town.

Here is a picture of the upper part of Himukai-jinja:



Here is another photo of Himukai-jinja:



Here is a picture of Hiroe in front of Nanzen-oku-no-in. Just before I took this picture, we ran into some French tourists who were carrying a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Japan. They were surprised to run into its author here.

Election Day in Obama, Japan

Yesterday I went up to the town of Obama, in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, to watch the results of the American presidential election with the residents of the town. It was the place to be in Japan yesterday. There were hula dancers, a wacky Japanese band, and some very happy town residents (not to mention a huge Japanese and international media contingent). They had CNN going on giant TV screens and when CNN called the election for Obama, the place went mad. It was great. On a related note, I wrote my epitaph for the Bush years here






One of the best things I saw in Obama yesterday was a tiny little shoe store in the shopping arcade that was displaying these oil paintings of Obama. It reminded me of the old households of African Americans who used to display pictures of JFK and Martin Luther King together.

Obama Bean Cakes

When I was up in Obama, Japan, I purchased some "Obama manju" (Obama bean cakes). I'm not sure why they only show the back of his head on the manju. Perhaps it's difficult to render Obama's face on a pastry.

Kerama-shoto

A little over an hour away from Naha by boat, the Kerama-shoto island group is a brilliant destination for swimmers, divers and snorkellers. If you go to Okinawa, don't miss the Keramas.

Miyako-jima

Halfway between Okinawa-honto and the Yaeyama group, Miyako-jima is a beach-lover's paradise. There are only two of the many great beaches I saw there. These beaches are world class.

Naha City, the Heart of Okinawa

I was in Naha, the main city on Okinawa-honto, which is the biggest and most important island in the Okinawa island group. My first impression of the city was not great, but as I explored, I found that Naha has a lot of heart and soul. If you go there, give it a chance and you'll be rewarded.

Iriomote-jima Island

For those who love hiking, snorkelling and diving, Iriomote is a paradise. I was down there a few days ago and escaped just before a typhoon blew in. I did some great snorkelling and took a river boat up a jungle river. The river trip reminded me a lot of river travel I've done in Borneo and peninsular Malaysia. I love this island.