Year: 2024
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Sum41 at the Osaka Intex
Sum41 will soon cease to exist and their final tour is underway. The band is coming to Osaka for their last date in Japan. I arrive at the Osaka Intex around 3:30pm after a 2-hour journey. It is a complex of halls that isn’t very cheerful: large and clean but quite cold. The hall 5…
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Back on the Kyoto Trail
+500m / -580m / 13km I’m not working this Friday, and unlike the previous days, it’s not raining. I’m heading out for a rather “short” hike to enjoy the outdoors without burning myself. I initially wanted to walk south of Kyoto and pass by Yokoku-ji temple, but I prefer to avoid the crowds and opt…
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Uji
Uji is a small town south of Kyoto. It is home to a quite famous temple, as it is depicted on the 10-yen coins: the Byōdō-in. One of the phoenixes adorning the roof of the structure is also visible on the 10,000-yen bills. Matcha is a local specialty, and the shops in the area sell…
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Loose pictures: January / February 2024
Views which did not ended in a post of their own.
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Frozen
Or how to ski in 3 resorts, in 4 days, in the land of the Snow Queen. Day 1 It all starts with going to Osaka airport by train. Taking a flight to Sapporo, hopping on a bus to downtown, then changing buses to reach the 1st resort: Bankei (or “ban.K” for the insiders). Renting…
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Ski Jam
Leaving Kyoto around 6:30am for this weekend organized by my company’s Ski Club. I sleep a bit more on the bus chartered for the occasion. We stop twice at highway rest areas that strangely resemble each other. The final stop is in front of a rental shop a few kilometers from our destination. We leave…
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Halfway Setsubun
This year is no exception, Setsubun falls on February 3rd. I head to Rozan-ji temple to attend the festivities. The schedule includes demon dance at 3pm, bean throwing at 4, followed by a ritual fire at 5. Upon arrival, the dense crowd overflows from the temple grounds onto the sidewalk. The same scene repeats at…
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Hikone, Omi-Hachiman
I arrive in Hikone late in the morning to visit the castle, one of the 12 with a donjon still intact. It is also one of the 5 castles listed as National Treasures of Japan (the others being: Himeji, Matsue, Inuyama, and Matsumoto). It is located on Mount Konki and overlooks the city. Everyone walks…
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Bunagatake
+1250m / -1250m / 16km The sun is still behind the hills as I arrive at Hira Station to climb mount Bunagatake. It has been on my list for a while, and the weather forecast finally convinced me, even though it snowed last night. I got snow crampons yesterday, hoping not to need more (gaiters…