One of the first sightseeing missions I embarked on while in Japan in 2005 was to Kamakura, a small, sleepy town to the south of Tokyo. Kamakura has a lot to offer for a day trip: a ton of temples within walking distance … [Read more...]
Nara is a landlocked prefecture in the Kansai/Kinki region of Japan on Honshu Island. It’s well known for the Nara Shika (deer) Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site Todaiji Temple (Eastern Great temple), the Nara Daibutsu … [Read more...]
Who's fat and jolly and carries around a big sack full of goodies? Santa Claus? Guess again! It's Hotei, the fat man from Japan. More commonly known as the Laughing Buddha or the Fat Buddha in the Western world, Hotei is … [Read more...]
Surprisingly, this morning I learned that it was Buddha's birthday. The cool Frood is turning 2,571 years old today, so make sure you sing him a song (video comments, anyone??) and dip him in some ama-cha to clean him off … [Read more...]