I appreciate Hallowe’en more with each passing year. There are good reasons the holiday is so fiercely and fondly embraced in the U.S.: mainly, it’s a celebration for all ages. For the very young, it’s about masquerade and pretend; it’s … Continue reading
Gather ’round and see a few more pictures of Niigata! In case there’s any confusion, my explanations appear under the photos they’re about, not above. Not a lot of explanation needed here that the caption doesn’t provide. It’s the main … Continue reading
The prefecture office here in Niigata has a great observation deck on its highest floor. I took my camera up there on a sunny morning last week. That part of Niigata surrounded by water — the river, the canal, and … Continue reading
I once saw Valery Gergiev conduct the Kirov Orchestra here in Niigata (we’re not that far from Russia, so they do a Japan tour now and then). A friend and I had seats right back up behind the orchestra, so … Continue reading
Yes, the title of this post is supposed to be loaded with meaning — spring-loaded with meaning, if you will: because this post is about spring, and it’s about first lines of stories — which are the spring-boards into the … Continue reading
Here we are again in the month that, according to Chaucer, makes people want to go on pilgrimages! A friend over there in the States was just commenting today on how appropriate it is that, at this time of year … Continue reading