Bill Walker
Well-Known Member
Really, really love Japan.Spent just over a year in Japan teaching English in Osaka back in the late 90's.
It was fantastic. Among other things I enjoyed terrific company, ate stupendous food, visited active volcanoes, stayed in ryokans to sample their onsen and rotenburo facilities, watched a sumo tournament (and met Konishiki - the famous 'Dump Truck'), saw Cerezo Osaka FC in action, became fascinated with Japanese literature/poetry (especially the Tale Of Genji - a stunning medieval psychological novel), and Japanese cinema.
Kyoto, Nara, Kagoshima, Beppu and Hakodate were all truly memorable places visited.
Was already familiar with Buddhism before I got there but the subsequent discovery of mystical realist Soto Zen was an eye-opener.
It's a great place to spend time after graduating (though I went when I was 35) and will hopefully be an option again for travellers if we ever get past this wretched virus.
If there is reincarnation, I hope I'm Japanese.