Japan 311

March 11 marked the one year anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coastal region of northern Japan. I made a trip to Japan back in November, and although I did have an extended stopover in Tokyo’s Narita Airport, I spent most of my time in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, all of which were unaffected by the disaster. I was quite happy to be there. The dreamy, serene atmosphere of Kyoto is downright breathtaking, as is the color scheme of the leaves in late November. Although the temples were particularly captivating to me (especially Kiyomizu-dera with its spectacular night view), I would say the highlight of my experience in Kyoto was riding a bike through the city at night, trailing closely behind my local friend and volunteer tour guide, Kento. Why this particular experience? It’s hard to explain. There’s just something so fresh, exciting, and carefree about riding one’s bike through an unfamiliar location. Osaka and Kobe were quite fun as well, but I feel like it’s best to keep those stories for another time. I will say that the harbor in Kobe (aka “Port of Kobe”) bears a resemblance to San Diego Bay. If you’ve been there, you might know what I’m talking about.

me at the Kinkaku-ji temple in Kyoto

I made a few short videos of my trip. They are dedicated to my wonderful friends in Japan, some of the kindest and most genuine people I know, and also to the victims of the 311 earthquake.