Category Archives: Shrines

On Getting Lucky in Japan

Posted on January 18, 2012 by

No, not like that.

Posted in Shrines, Tradition, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

On Japanese Cats

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

This week: Japan, in five cats.

Posted in Fun, Shrines, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

On Demonic Umbrellas and Japanese Banking

Posted on October 26, 2011 by

In Japan, many ATMs work from 9 to 5 and get weekends and holidays off. That’s better than most humans get. And the reason, I suspect, has more to do with ghosts than any bank is willing to admit.

Posted in Culture Shock, Shinto, Shrines, Thinking, Tradition, Weird | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

On Lenin’s Feet and the Taxi-Driving Buddha

Posted on October 5, 2011 by

If you visit Kyoto, you may stumble into a small home next door to a shrine and, as you’re looking for the shrine entrance, a woman may ask you for 500 yen and assure you that there is English being … Continue reading →

Posted in language, Shrines, Temples and Ruins, Thinking, Uncategorized, Zen | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

On Nature in Japan, or: On Getting Killed By a Wild Goat in America

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

Signs were erected to warn hikers about aggressive mountain goats in Olympic National Park. Imagine, if you can, the mountain goats of the Pacific Northwest. They look like messed-up dogs or disappointing unicorns; they eat lichen in the wild and … Continue reading →

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On Like Totally Living in the Now in Japan, You Know?

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

Japan probably has more temples, shrines and gardens per capita than garbage cans or benches.

Posted in Homesickness, Shrines, Thinking, Uncategorized, Zen | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments