Looking forward to changes…

A lot has happened since 2020, and 2024 is set to bring many changes to my personal and professional life. While I cannot post all the details at this time, I’ve decided to give some general updates.

When I first moved to Japan in the summer of 2013, I lived and worked in Kanazawa. Kanazawa is a beautiful city steeped in traditional culture. It was in March of 2015 that the Hokuriku Shinkansen expansion to Kanazawa opened, which saw the city change with the influx of domestic and foreign tourism. A considerable amount of foreign tourism was expected for the 2020 Olympics, resulting in the implementation of multiple construction projects. Unfortunately, as we all know, the 2020 Olympics were postponed, and with the closure of Japan’s borders, the tourism boom was delayed by a few years.

I moved to Japan to work for a sizeable eikaiwa chain. Initially, I planned to stay for a year and then return to the United States to complete a master’s degree. That didn’t happen. I stayed with that company for almost four years until leaving due to work hours and power harassment from the manager. After leaving the large company, I worked for a small, independent eikaiwa for a few years and taught business English for another company.

Eventually, I traded in working at an eikaiwa for working as an ALT (through a dispatch company). Near the end of my first year as an ALT, I moved from Kanazawa to Awara (in neighboring Fukui Prefecture). As of writing this, I enjoy teaching in the classroom. However, never being sure if I will have a job come April with the same company or if I will have to switch companies due to the bidding system the BOE uses combined with stagnant (and sometimes decreasing when changing companies, plus wages being low) wages means that it is time for me to move on from the dispatch ALT life.

No longer working as an ALT doesn’t mean I’m giving up teaching. I plan to freelance and teach private or small group lessons. I’m also looking into writing (copywriting, content, etc.) opportunities. I will be moving in the next month or so (remaining in the same general area) and making some massive life changes. My birthday is in May, and this year is a big one – I’ll be 40 years old. It is an excellent time to make changes and create the life I want.

I am putting some of my photos up on Displate and DarkRoom to promote my photography. I don’t know how much traffic I’ll get across those sites, but I am working on building a small online presence. Instead of saying I should do things this year, I’m trying to do what I say I should do.

Happy New Year!

Wow! Time certainly does fly. It’s been a few years since I’ve posted anything. There are multiple reasons behind the lack of posting. The most obvious reason is I haven’t been doing much traveling or exploring the past few years.

Why? Well, besides the whole COVID-19 issue, I changed jobs (I’m still in the education industry, but in a different role), moved from Ishikawa Prefecture to Fukui Prefecture, have been experiencing health issues, had a relationship end and another begin, and life in general became really busy and more complicated than it had been.

But now I’m back. I’m not sure how often I’ll be posting since I’m still not really traveling much. I am going to start participating in more local activies this year since I don’t know many people in my local area. I’m also going to start a blog focusing on Japanese culture. When I launch that blog, I’ll post a link so you can check it out if you’re interested.

It’s been a long year…

…and not much has happened. Travel ground to a halt and I haven’t been able to do much even within the country. I did make it to Natadera Temple this summer. I’ve been there twice before, but this time I was on my own. It was nice to wander around in the rain. Because no one was really traveling at that point, it was practically empty as well.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Emily A Mahon (@ladycaladium)

I also managed to try my first cannoli in Japan. I’ve been here since mid 2013 (and was here in the summer of 2012 as well) and had never been able to find any. Yes, a Google search would probably have helped (and I have since done that), but the fact I’m over in the Hokuriku area doesn’t help. It is much easier to find one in a large city like Tokyo than a small one like Kanazawa.

How did I find a cannoli? Well I asked my Italian teacher. I started taking Italian lessons online this summer to relearn (and hopefully advance) what I had learned in college. She has students in Japan which meant she had the inside scoop on where I could find one. And the suggestion I received was superb! I was told that a restaurant named Sicilia-ya had cannoli. In November I was in Tokyo for a few days and I went there for lunch.

The restaurant had amazingly delicious food. I ordered lunch – bruschetta con ricci di mare, insalata di limone, minestra, lumache di mare in padella, spiedino di agnello, and pasta al ceppo con funghi. Of course I finished this off with one cannolo Siciliano. When I ordered it, they made the filling – talk about freshly filled! It had been over two years since my last cannoli and this one did not disappoint!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by E.A.Mahon (@worldwidejerseygirl)

If you are in Tokyo and are craving a cannoli or some delicious Italian, I suggest heading over to Sicilia-ya.

In the end, I’ve survived 2020 and am looking forward to a better 2021 (with more cannoli!)

Travel Planning

Travel planning these days is an exercise in frustration and disappointment. Depending on where you live you may not be able to travel. Depending on where your passport was issued, even if you don’t live in that country or area, you may not be able to travel. Depending on your visa status (if you are living overseas), you may not be able to travel. See where I’m going with this?

So what is a travel hungry person to do? Well, since travel is no longer restricted (or asked to be avoided through self-restraint), this travel hungry person can travel within Japan. But where to go? Many hotels and hostels are closed and many sightseeing spots are either closed, partially closed, or have reduced hours. Additionally, most events and festivals are canceled this year.

Take Kyoto as an example. As those of you who have been following me probably already know, I’ve visited Kyoto on numerous occasions. I always stay at the same guesthouse as it has a great location and is inexpensive. It makes a wonderful base to explore from. But it has been closed for the past few months with no opening date (the cafe has reopened, but you can’t spend the night) in sight. Hotels also stopped taking reservations, making finding accommodations difficult. I don’t mind that events have been canceled as there is always plenty to explore just by walking around the city and a day trip is possible, but not exactly enjoyable. Most of the day would be spent either on the train or bus traveling between Kanazawa and Kyoto. So as of now, Kyoto is out.

A place I plan on visiting in the near future is Natadera, which is a temple located south of Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture. I have been there twice before with other people, but would like to visit on my own so I can take some pictures and spend a bit more time exploring. Now seems like a good time since the hydrangea should be in bloom. They have been slowly reopening and it seems now that a majority of the area is open to visitors. Hopefully I can drive down next Sunday or Monday (depending on weather and my schedule).

So it’s not all doom and gloom and sitting at home. I’ll finish this post with a photo from just over the border in Fukui Prefecture that I took last summer.

Halfway Through

Dosojin Matsuri, Nozawa Onsen, 1/14/2020

I’m pretty sure just about everyone can agree that 2020 hasn’t been the best year. It’s only June and already so much has happened and yet, it seems as though not much as happened at the same time. My year started out pretty normal with a trip to Nozawa Onsen for the annual Dosojin Fire Festival. It was not my first time (and since I’ve already booked for next year, not my last), but it’s always an enjoyable experience. Being mid-January, things were still relatively normal in Japan. January also saw a few of my photos featured on Tokyo-Narita Japan Explorer’s Instagram page, which was exciting.

My friend and her family came to Japan on a ski trip a few weeks later and I joined them in Karuizawa. I had never been there and ended dup driving, which took a bit longer than I planned. However, despite the slightly longer drive, it was great to see my friend and have the chance to ski together. At this point, masks in my part of the country started to sell and by the following week there were strict limits if you could find them in the stores. Otherwise, my part of Japan remained pretty normal.

The beginning of March saw me in Nozawa once more. This time I drove and what a difference that made! Usually I take the train, which means carrying all my gear and usually shipping it back home at the end of my trip. The train is pretty easy – except for the gear! Factoring in gas and tolls, they cost around the same. As far as time goes, taking the train might be slightly quicker, but not that noticeable of a difference. I prefer driving since I can just load everything into the car and set a playlist on my phone to sing along to.

In March I also traveled to Osaka for a work opportunity. By the time I went down, things were really started to impacted by, well, we all know what was impacting life worldwide at this point. But the trip wasn’t bad and transportation was still pretty normal.

And then April arrived and I had to travel to Osaka yet once more. This time I was headed to the consulate to take care of getting a new passport. Things were noticeably different. Stores were closed or limiting their hours, trains were practically empty, and the streets were quiet. Because of the timing of trains from Kanazawa to Osaka, I went the afternoon before and stayed in a hotel at Osaka Station. That night I ate in one of the hotel restaurants and I was the only customer. Looking down at Umeda Station, the area was basically devoid of life. I don’t often go to Osaka, but I’ve never seen it that empty before.

Nothing exciting happened in May other then me booking my January 2021 Nozawa trip. Japan was under a state of emergency over the Golden Week holiday period at the beginning of the month and people were asked not to travel, sightsee, or cross over prefecture borders. I figured I would get some studying or writing done, but I ended up reading, watching Netflix and YouTube, eventually trying to figure out where all my free time had gone.

And that brings us up to June. Japan is no longer under a state of emergency, but places are still limiting hours or access and there seems to be two camps of people; those who are being cautious and those who act as though there is no reason for caution. I am trying to straddle that line by being cautious but still getting some things done. Japanese lessons have returned to in-person (with masks, open windows, and larger classrooms). Starbucks has been gradually increasing the number of seats available (but reusable cups are still banned), and my favorite cafe has reopened (first for takeout and now with limited seating).

One change that I am making it to how I watermark my photos. I used to use EAM-The Daily Photo, but am going to switch to my name from now on. Why the change? I just thought it was time.

Alive and well…

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, so I figured I’d give a quick update…

I’m still in Japan, but haven’t been up to much the past few months when it comes to travel. Over the winter I took few ski trips. This season started quite late and there wasn’t as much snow as usual. Combined with the current virus situation, the season was pretty uneventful and ended early. I am really looking forward to next season.

Most events I was planning on attending or participating in have been canceled or delayed (as is happening worldwide). As such, I have been in Ishikawa Prefecture for much of the last two to three months. Japan has not enforced a lockdown like other countries which means restrictions (or the following of requested actions/closings) aren’t universal across the country or even within a prefecture.

I’m going to take the next few weeks to get some photos edited and up, so stay tuned for more!

Monet’s Pond

名もなき池/Monet’s Pond

In September I had a bit of an adventure…I drove to Seki in Gifu Prefecture to check out what’s known as Monet’s Pond. The pond itself actually doesn’t have a name and is known as 名もなき池 (Nameless Pond). Getting from Kanazawa to Seki took a couple of hours and a few thousand yen in tolls. I went on a weekday hoping to avoid crowds and parking issues, and was successful for the most part. Although, it was more crowded than I thought it would be, plus it was really hot that day.

I like driving, so the prospect of driving for a couple of hours on the Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway before exiting onto local roads wasn’t an issue. What I didn’t know was that the part of the highway I would spend most of my time on is basically made up of tunnels, including Japan’s second longest road tunnel (the Hida Tunnel at approx. 11km long). The tunnels were one right after another (there are 54 tunnels). I also didn’t know how expensive the expressway would be (¥2,820 each way).

The tunnels eventually gave way to views of the surrounding mountains in Gifu Prefecture, a few which were clearly ski resorts (which may need to be visited this winter if all goes well). Soon it was time to exit the expressway and wind along the narrower (sometimes only wide enough for one car) roads running along the beautiful Itadori River. The river is an amazing shade of green and extremely clear. Unfortunately, since I was driving I wan’t able to catch as much of the river as I wanted to.

板取川/Itadori River

So about the roads…we really need to talk about the roads. They were narrow, steep, and winding. At times (usually on an uphill sharp curve) they would change to one lane, meaning someone would have to pull over to let oncoming traffic pass. The mirrors set up in these areas were particularly helpful in navigating these areas. I managed to reach the parking area (and return to Kanazawa) unscathed. There were a few drivers that I’m not sure were as lucky!

Anyway, onto the pond itself! The pond was clear (I had checked the weather since rain the previous day can cloud the water) and clearly very popular. As I mentioned earlier, I went on a weekday. The whole point of going on a weekday was so that I didn’t have to deal with crowds of people while taking photos. However, as I also mentioned, it was more crowded than I thought it would be. I supposed a weekend day would have been even more crowded, but still, I was surprised.

Additionally, the pond was smaller than I thought it would be. The photos you find on the internet and Instagram make it look larger than it actually is. I mean, it isn’t tiny, but it also isn’t massive either. I was expecting something larger than what was there. That being said, the pond was lovely, even in the heat and with the crowds. There is a small greenhouse with plants for sale and some ice cream next to the pond.

The property includes a shrine which is located on the hill above the pond. The shrine was quiet, with only a few people walking either up the stairs or the hill to reach the buildings. Making the very short trek gave a bird’s eye view of the pond, which I thought was an interesting (and quieter, shadier) view. From there you could see the man who bangs pots to attract the koi so tourists can take photos. I found the clanging disturbing at pond level, but no so bad once there was a bit of distance.

名もなき池/Looking down towards the pond

After taking photos, eating ice cream, and looking at the shrine, it was time to turn around and return to Kanazawa. This meant getting back on the winding road and back to the expressway with its tunnels. I was tired from getting up early, making the long drive, and then being in the heat, so I made a stop or two on the way home at rest stops along the way.

So what do I think…was it worth it? I like driving, I like exploring, and I like taking photos. So yes, I think that despite the time and cost, it was worth it. Had I realized how long or expensive it was going to be, I may have planned the trip a bit differently. Overall though, I’d say yes. Would I do it again? Yes, I would. I’d like to see the pond at different points during the year. Also, the river looks inviting, so a summer camping trip at one of the camp sites I saw sounds like a fun idea.

Is it a “must do” when in Japan? That depends…what are you interested in? There wan’t much else going on in the area (except fly fishing, but I’m unsure on the regulations here…), so traveling to this particular spot just to see the pond may not be worth it. If you’re in the area or passing (relatively) close to it, sure, make a stop at the pond.

根道神社/Nemichi Shrine

Why Kyoto?

Yasaka-jinja – 八阪神社

When you think of Japan, what comes to mind? Sushi? Sumo wrestling? Robots and vending machines? What about places? Tokyo? Osaka? Kyoto? The list can go on and on, but I’m going to stop there. Who wants to read a list without any additional information anyway?

Okay, enough with the questions – although I do have one more, as hinted at in the title of this blog – Why Kyoto? Specifically, why do I keep returning to the same city, even the same guest house, again and again? Because despite not wanting to live there (way to crowded for my taste), I love the city. I love visiting the many temples and shrines. I love the culture.

How many times have I been to Kyoto? Sorry, that was yet another question… I’m not really sure. I moved to Japan at the end of June 2013, and visited not only during Obon/お盆 that year, but also for the full New Year holiday period. Over the years I’ve made day trips and overnight trips to the city, sometimes only staying overnight on my way to Osaka. I’ve caught the cherry blossoms and the autumn leaves, as well as the sweltering heat of summer.

Getting to Kyoto from Kanazawa is a pretty straightforward affair. You simply hop on a train at Kanazawa Station (I always ride the Thunderbird Express) and hop off at Kyoto Station. Some things have changed since the Shinkansen came to Kanazawa. The Thunderbird Express used to go to Toyama, which meant that during peak time getting a non-reserved seat out of Kanazawa could be an issue. This also meant when returning you had to be careful not to sleep through Kanazawa. Now that it’s the first and last stop, those issues are pretty much nonexistent (although, I suppose you could have trouble finding a seat or a group of seats together if it’s extra busy…).

The biggest change though has to be the food cart. When I first rode the Thunderbird (about 6.5 years ago now), much like the Shinkansen they had a food and drinks cart that came through the train. That service has stopped, so any food or drink you would like to consume on the train (it takes a couple of hours to get to Kyoto) needs to be purchased in advance.

My most recent trip to Kyoto was in May of this year. I went to see a performance that I found on the Kyoto Guide website, which has a handy Kyoto This Month section listing different events. The events are usually related to traditional culture as well as light-ups and special temple/shrine events and festivals. The only downside is that the This Month section isn’t published until the first of the month. However, a way around this is to look at the archive section for annual events listed by month.

This last trip to Kyoto I made a beeline to a camera shop as soon as I exited the station. Why? Well, we have camera stuff in Kanazawa, but not the selection that is available in the bigger cities. I purchased a new lens (kind of like a birthday present to myself – at least that’s what I tell myself) and proceeded to try it out during my trip (I say trip, but I arrived in the evening and left the following night). Below are a few of the pictures I took…

Yasaka-jinja – 八阪神社

Roadside Wall

Starbucks

No, the last photo is not mislabeled…I took it in the Starbucks on Ninenzaka.

Here’s a list of my previous Kyoto posts…

I Think I’m Settled

Kyoto – Fushimi-Inari Taisha

Kiyomizu-dera – Or “How to take a bunch of photos and have almost none of them come out clearly”

New Year in Kyoto

A Look Back at Kyoto over the New Year

Still Kicking…

Hong Kong – 香港 (pt.3)

So what did I see in Hong Kong? I was only there for a couple of days and tried to stay as cool as possible during that time, so I didn’t see everything. Here are a few highlights from the trip…

On my first day there I visited the famous Victoria Peak with my friend. We took a bus up most of the way before walking the rest of the way to The Peak. The bus ride was slightly terrifying at points as we were on the upper level of the bus and it looked as though the guardrails were basically nonexistent (combined with my fear of buses – yes, I’m afraid of riding in buses…), but at the same time, the views from the bus of Hong Kong as we rose above the city were beautiful. Unfortunately I did not think to take any photos from inside the bus.

After exiting the bus we walked up a road lined with trees and all sorts of plant life. The plant life reminded me of what I saw on a trip to Maui years ago, but my memory might be slightly fuzzy due to the passage of time (that trip was over half a lifetime ago). The plants growing on the trees were beautiful and the trees offered some shade.

On the way up to Victoria Peak

A downside of The Peak was that the day we went it was hazy. That made it difficult to take a clear photo of Hong Kong. Despite the haze, the view was nice (it seems the haze is more noticeable in photos than in real life).

View on the way up to The Peak

View from The Peak

While in Hong Kong I also took a day trip to Macau with my friend. Unfortunately it was raining the day we went, but I still had a good time. We took a ferry from Hong Kong in the morning (we had purchased tickets the day before). After arriving in Macau and clearing immigration (yes, you need to clear immigration and customs when traveling between Hong Kong and Macau) we took a bus to a casino. There are shuttle buses for the casinos, which makes getting to and from the terminal easy. From there we grabbed lunch and did a bit of shopping. The rain made it difficult to go sightseeing. We returned to the casino and my friend returned to Hong Kong while I stayed behind to try my luck at the tables.

Did I win? Well, it isn’t a straightforward yes or no answer. I lost, then I won, then I lost, then I won and should have quit…but I wanted to try roulette. Now, I was under the impression that roulette was a simple red or black, pick a number situation. I lost for a while till someone kindly explained some of the rules/strategies. After that, I did marginally better, winning some of the bets I places. However, becoming a millionaire wasn’t in the cards. I lost all my chips at the roulette table. The people I had been playing with (we were having a great time joking around at that table) suggested I go to one of the many ATMs to get more cash to exchange for chips. I declined, having come with a set amount of “goodbye” money, AKA, gambling funds. After losing all of my chips, I exited the gambling floor to get some dinner before returning to Hong Kong.

Another highlight of Hong Kong was the famous Goldfish Street. I went in the evening was impressed by the amount and variety of fish on offer, usually already bagged up and hanging on the doors and walls of the shops. Many of the shops had posted signs stating no photos, so I didn’t get any pictures of the fish. However, there are a ton of photos both online and on Instagram of Goldfish Street that will give you an idea of what it’s like. Not all the shops had signs posted, but at the time I was tired and didn’t feel like asking (or assuming) it was okay to snap a picture at those shops.

These were just some of the highlights from my trip to Hong Kong. I sure my next visit will be just as interesting (but hopefully a bit cooler!)…

Mongkok

Hong Kong – 香港 (pt.2)

The Bruce Lee Statue (Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui)

As I blogged previously, this past June I visited Hong Kong. Despite the sweltering heat, I had a great time and plan to go back in the future. In June 2013 I had a layover in the Hong Kong airport, but that was early in the morning while moving halfway around the world. At that time I never left the airport or even really explored the terminal, minus trying to freshen up and track down breakfast . So when people would ask where I’ve traveled to, Hong Kong never made the list.

June may not have been the best time for me to visit for one simple reason – the heat. Hong Kong is hot, like really hot. Dripping in sweat as though I’ve just finished running a race. Oh, and humid. Basically the kind of weather I detest. If you’ve read my previous blog posts, you may have noticed there are multiple posts that mention skiing. You know, that sport that requires colder temperatures and snow.

That being said, I survived the heat. How? Well, I drank a lot of water and iced tea. I even ended up at Starbucks – for iced tea, air conditioning, and WiFi. Hong Kong was sweltering outside, but if you walked past one of the many shops with their doors wide open you were hit with a wave of cold, air-conditioned air. It seemed like every shop had their doors open. I’m kind of torn on whether this is a positive or negative thing. On the one hand, this seems like a waste of electricity. On the other, it feels great and probably attracts shoppers.

Other than being hot, Hong Kong was delicious! I didn’t actually take any photos of my food, but I did make sure to try a few different dishes while there. The yum cha was amazing. I’ve been craving it since returning to Japan! Seriously, the food is a great reason to plan another trip (although maybe not during the summer months!).

On my last evening, I had dinner at Yan Toh Heen, a Cantonese restaurant at the InterContinental Hong Kong. Apparently, it has 2 Michelin Stars and Forbes Travel Guide awarded it 5 stars. Despite not having a reservation, I was able to get a table. Even through it was not a window table, I was still able to enjoy the view (it’s located in the lower level of the hotel, facing the harbor). I love Cantonese food, so deciding what to eat was a challenge. Everything I tried was delicious. It was a wonderful way to end my trip.

Life in Japan with Lady Caladium

My experience living in Japan…