on my walk to school

every morning, i walk from the eki (station) after riding the train to the school at which i work. the distance is 1km aproximately, or about 0.621 of a mile. during the spring and nice fall days, it`s a real treat. the air is warm and fresh, beautiful japanese nature and culture abounding with every step, and peace felt in my life here. during hangovers, it`s refreshing to have a nice, sobering walk. during friday afternoons when i get off at half past noon, it`s a tantalizing think-tank period for all the fun that`s surely to come mere hours later. but during the cold, freezing, and snowy, dark months, it`s hell. the wind whips blindly around you while you slip on the snow and metal grates on the ground, urging your cold legs onwards towards the warmth of the station and train. it`s 12 minutes of wishing and whining in your head, `why don`t i have a car?? why don`t i have a car? why oh why . . . . `

this past weekend, i had to make a brief appearance at work after forgetting something essential at work the previous day. luckily, the sun was brilliant, creating a perfect mid-morning stroll. i snapped some pictures, i wanted to show you a few of the small daily reminders of why i love japan. how quaint, lovely, and perfect everything feels by just looking around and seeing these surroundings. it makes you retrospective and reflective, all the while appreciating the calmer sides of life. japan is incredibly beautiful; obvious in the mountains and landscapes, and subtly in the more mundane areas of life. once you get over how shockingly different it is to your home country and backwards it seems, everything starts to make sense . . .

a very typical home


another one


forlorn, kind of pathetic looking mailbox; i`d like one to keep in my home




a shrine. yep, a years and years and years old shrine, just on my way to school. you simply can`t get more terrific than that!


world`s smallest garage. this little, old man - i want to say - scooterizes around town on it. i see him often; he`s cute. i wonder what he thinks of me? probably not so cute. probably this disruptive foreigner who`s bringing the horrible modern life with her, tearing down traditional japan, and creating a playground for which the world to dive enthusiastically into




and a gorgeous yard - small, deceptively simple, and soothing