You know how it goes. “When in Rome…” Except, when the crunch comes and you are confronted with a cultural anomaly, do you revert to form? If you are an impatient, hot-headed individual, like me, with a fierce sense of personal freedom, and have a Japan trip coming up, read on. Japan is different, developing … Continue reading A Visitor’s Guide to Good Behaviour in Japan
Snow melt from Mt Fuji seeps down through porous volcanic rock to resurface here as crystal clear springwater, feeding the river.
Hodogaya was established in 1601 as the 4th stop westward of Edo (now called Tokyo) for weary Tokaido walkers to rest for the night
Hojo's territories falling into Toyotomi's hands also completes the unification of Japan under one ruler for the first time in centuries, ending the Warring States Period
the territory between the old capitals of Kyoto and Osaka, and the new capital in Edo, played a pivotal role in this part of Japanese history. This is not lost on Clavell, who strategically places his story on the Izu Peninsula
Hiroshige's Yui (19C ukiyoe or woodblock print). Note the three travellers top left ascending Satta Pass. The two customers, presumably travellers from the big city of Edo (now called Tokyo, with a population of 1 million during the Edo Period, 17C~mid 19C) stand in awe of the stunning vista across Suruga Bay (Japan's deepest bay) to Mt Fuji (Japan's highest mountain).
Yamashichi proprieter Yamazaki san handmakes Hiroshige Tokaido scene flasks from Obi material
