Today we look at the shared past of Nimitz Park and Sasebo Park as the Sasebo Chinjufu’s Kaiheidan. All history postcards are in my personal collection and all uncredited photography is by me. Photos/Videos of individuals taken with permission. Sakai…
I’m starting to make videos about points of interest in Japan to encourage others to travel and learn about the country. The Shinyo memorial has been a topic I’ve written about before, in The Japanese Home Front V: Kawatana, Home…
It’s hard getting out for a proper adventure between work and weather, but thankfully every hilltop and depression on Okinawa is sacred or has a legend so there’s always a point of interest within reach. This is Mizugama no gama,…
Saigo Takamori was a samurai who helped bring about the modern Japanese state in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration. He led its government for a time but retired after falling out over what he perceived as corrupt politics. A few…
A uniquely Japanese item from World War II was the imon-bukuro (慰問袋), or comfort bag. Similar to modern day care packages, they were hand-assembled packages of comfort items for the troops sent by their supportive home front from the youngest…
I was a few days late for it, but I went to Sasebo for my first takoyaki of the year! Oh, and I also made my first shrine visit of the year too. Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the…
Today is the birthday of Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji, who was born this day in 1852. As emperor he and his government would oversee Japan’s transformation from a feudal to a modern state. His birthplace was this unassuming little house on…
The statue of an age-wearied field marshal astride his horse guards the entrance to Hagi Chuo Park. Perhaps he’s scrutinizing files on parade or gazing upon a battlefield, though these days his only remaining enemies are pigeons and errant…
This article was originally written for a college class, but the uncommon subject matter is one I think my readers would find interesting so I am presenting it here with minor changes. To learn more about Emmons I recommend reaching…
I briefly wrote about Rikkunland as part of a 2017 article on bigger vacation, here I’m sharing slightly more information and a lot more photographs of the rare to see Japanese armor and fighting vehicles. In countries that are not…