Golden Week Holiday

I spent one of Japan's beloved holidays, Golden Week, in my house sick with a cold.  I was able to get out for one of the days however, and we drove down to Kawaguchiko, one of the five lakes on the north side near the base of the grand volcano and Japan's symbol, Mount Fuji.  Here are a few shots from the day.

We visited Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nenba, a traditional craft village.  We had also planned to visit a common starting point for Fuji's climb, Sengen Shrine.  The Golden Week traffic caught up with us however, and instead of sitting on a 4-mile stretch for several hours, we decided to cut our day short and go home.

I can't believe that my time in Japan is coming to an end.  I want to focus on having fun, creating lasting memories, and packing to go home, but my mind is also preoccupied by the Japanese Language Proficiency Test that I will be taking on July 1st.  I have very little chance of actually passing this test, but I will take it none-the-less.  If nothing else, it will be good practice for the next one I plan to take in NY next year.

Spring is here! Eco-challenge for this week - try drying all of your clothes on hangers or on a line instead of using a drying machine.  They dry faster than you think, and you'll save some money too!

Welcome Back! - Spring Vacation Travels 2012

Hello all, and welcome back to Kitcher's Cafe!

Here is a short slideshow of some pictures that I took while on a 1-week vacation in March.  Two friends from High School (now all three of us living in different places) managed to get some well-deserved time off to make the trek all the way to Japan!

We started in Tokyo, making our way south to Kyushu by shinkansen, visiting Fukuoka and Nagasaki, then making our way back north with a stop in Nara.  It was a great time, and helped me see the beauty of Japan again through fresh eyes!

Take a look at the flickr album, and post any comments about the locations or pictures in the comments section below!

Also, take a minute to look at my new store on Zazzle - KokoRosato.  I have added a few preliminary items, and will be updating more as time goes on.  I'll post again when I have some new products for sale.

 See KokoRosato at Zazzle

Browse other gifts from Zazzle.

All of the products in my store were created using original photos taken by me.

-LRK

Happy looking!  Happy shopping!  Happy spring!

One Year Later, 3/11/2012

Exactly one year ago today, the March 11th earthquake and tsunami followed by the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant meltdown occurred.  Many lives were lost, and many others changed forever.  My life hasn't taken a dramatic turn since March 11th, other than the fact that I have a new perspective of the power of nature, and how helpless we are in case of a natural disaster.  No one I knew personally was living close enough to have lost everything in the tsunami, but I do know that the effects of radiation and additional earthquakes haunts us all.  How are the people living in the effected areas?  Is there anything I can do to help from a distance?  When will the next big earthquake hit?  How big will it be?  Where will I be and what can I do to best prepare for it?

Despite all of these questions, I know that Japan and it's people will pull through.  Last year they showed their absolute and unwavering strength.  I have an everlasting respect for the Japanese people, many able to endure and push through anything in order to accomplish what's necessary.

Fight.  Don't give up.  We'll make it through.

がんばろう日本

I feel sad and selfish to say that I'm happy to be moving back to a non-earthquake zone in August, but even when I move back I'll do all that I can in order to help Japan and other nations effected by major earthquakes.

Three of my blog entries from 2011 regarding the earthquake:
Friday, March 11th 2011
Saturday, March 12th 2011
Sunday, March 13th 2011


Some news stories from March 11th, 2012
One Year Later : MSNBC
Discovery News : Aerial before and after.
National Geographic : This series of photos (during and after the tsunami to now) shows just how amazing the Japanese people are.

How March 11th personally effected one of many families forever.