Author Archives: Joel

In this ryokan, we seem to be wearing so many pairs of shoes. I count… five pairs? First there’s the shoes we came in wearing, then we changed to slippers to wear upstairs to our room (though bare feet in … Continue reading →

Ever since the start of this trip, the word “Shinshu” has been catching my attention everywhere we go – in all different places and all different contexts. It’s been driving me nuts, because it’s not in my dictionary. Randomly discovered … Continue reading →

Yesterday’s post now has photos. One of the appeals of Toyoko Inn is that aside from small variations in building shape and size, each one is pretty much exactly the same. You know exactly what you’re going to get. Rooms … Continue reading →

One admittedly minor peeve I’ve noticed is that although on my last trip, the assistance of my external battery let my phone’s battery last throughout the day, on this trip, my external battery seems to run out around mid afternoon, … Continue reading →

One trouble with coming in mid-spring is how middling the temperature is. That may be a bit confusing, so let me explain: in the summer, it’s hot, so we can go around in short sleeves all the time. In winter, … Continue reading →