This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
An Exercise in Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration in Odawara
Recently I found myself with a Saturday afternoon free, so I decided to head off to do some hiking around Yamakita, in western Kanagawa Prefecture. On the way, however, while changing trains in Kozu, I found a map of…
The Japanese Home Front V: Kawatana, Home of Shinyo and the Fish-Shaped Water Bomb (Katashima Torpedo Testing Facility and Shinyo Memorial)
This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
Osaka Castle: Home of Toyotomi
It is 1583. Oda Nobunaga has been assassinated, and Nobunga’s right hand man, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, has avenged his death and is in the process of consolidating his own power. Of course, the aspiring ruler needed a palace worthy of…
Treasure Hunting in Arita
Arita in Saga Prefecture is famous for porcelain. Its connection began 400 years ago with the return of a failed Japanese invasion of Korea. As a consolation prize they brought back a bunch of kidnapped porcelain makers, settled them in…
Shameless Self-Promotion
Greetings everyone. Dave Hansche here with an update on goings on here at Wayfarer Daves. First, Wayfarer Daves now has its own Instagram. Follow us for daily photos from our travels, alternate images not used in our…
The Japanese Homefront IV: From the Beginning to the End: Hario Wireless Transmitting Station and Uragashira Repatriation Center Peace Museum
This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
Dunkirk Movie Review
Feeling a bit Anglophilic, which is beautiful and natural and I don’t care what others think of it, I saw Dunkirk on opening night. We’ve never done a movie review at Wayfarer Daves, but I felt it was appropriate to…
The Ruins of Japan
As I’ve traveled around Japan, I have found a number of places referred to as “ruins”. Castle ruins, temple ruins and palace ruins are scattered all across Japan. The idea of ruins here though, are a bit different than…
Trains, Tanks, Tiki Bars and Totsugeki! A Holiday on the Move
Trains, tanks, tiki bars, military reenactors, and anime, it was just another typical vacation in Japan. Some may take six days as time to do a little this or that, personally I take it as a challenge to see how…