I’ve lived in the area near Tokyo for several years now, but it still amazes me sometimes how the city can be such a contrast, one neighborhood to another, one place to another, sometimes even one block to another. Most…
Hamamatsu Castle: A Missed Opportunity
In my last post, I wrote about the charming castle they rebuilt in Kakegawa. As it turns out, the next city down the line towards Nagoya, Hamamatsu, also has a rebuilt castle. Hamamatsu castle, however, is on the opposite…
Take Flight Into the Past
Kanoya, in the far south of Japan’s southernmost main island, is a rather inconvenient location for an air museum. It’s more than 500 miles from Tokyo and getting there via public transport requires taking a Shinkansen bullet train to the…
Kakegawa – A Charming Castle Town
If you take the Shinkansen toward Nagoya, somewhere in Shizuoka you will pass through a small city called Kakegawa. For most people, the Japanese included, it is just a minor stop on the way to bigger and better things.…
Ft. Meade is Rather Inconvenient for European Tank Lovers, Isn’t It?
For those living in the Old World, visiting Ft. Meade’s small post museum to see the ultimate World War I heavy tank, besides the TOG II*, would be a bit of a trip. As mentioned the Mark VIII was an…
Mark VIII: Joint Tank Designed to Help End War to End War
This tank has been or will be moved to the US Army’s Armor & Cavalry Collection at Ft. Benning, which is not open to the public. Today’s Joint Strike Fighter is an example of the modern push to have militaries…
Away from Home – Wandering Around Sasebo
Sorry for the lack of updates lately. As my friend and co-blogger mentioned, we’ve been on the road traveling for Christmas and I’ve spent the New Years holiday down in Kyushu visiting David. Once I get home later this…
Fire!
Ashigaru, under the command of a samurai, give a Tanegashima (matchlock) firing demonstration at Hikone-jo (Hikone Castle), a Japanese National Treasure. Last year we saw a similar, but larger, demonstration at Matsumoto-jo (Matsumoto Castle), another National Treasure. Both Hikone and…
Why am I here?
Welcome to Wayfarer Daves. I’m Dave Hansche, and for my first post, I’d like to talk about the experience of traveling and a bit about why I do it. I am not really what one might think of when…
Matsushiro Daihonei: Preparing to Fight the Final Battle of World War II
In early August 1945 World War II was far from over. Months and even years of fighting were still in the future of Japan and the United States as the Americans and their allies made amphibious assaults on the Japanese…