Losing self in Daimonzaka, finding monkeys in Kyoto

Food is such a central part of our daily lives, but sometimes we lose our connection with it. It means different things to different people, for some a mere necessity of sustenance, and to others an incomparable pleasure. I definitely fall in the latter half. Food is the centre of my thoughts most times of …

The Not So Great Escape

Our stay at Takayama had come to an end and even as I reflected on the life our kind hearted hosts lived we were already on our way to our next Japanese farm. The journey deep into rural Wakayama would take 8 hours and be by bus, shinkansen (bullet rail) and train. What would await …

From loneliness in Nagoya to feeling at home in Takayama with Okasan and Otousan

Our last WWOOF host in Hino, Tokyo made me feel disappointed and homesick. We had plans to go straight to another WWOOF host further west from Tokyo but he cancelled on us last minute. This left us with a one week gap between hosts, and wondering, should we find another WWOOF host or have a …

Geopolitics and Mountain Worship

How to Chop Wood My first WWOOFING experience started with several days of chopping wood in the blazing sun. It was hard work but the crack of splitting wood from a well placed blow was enough instant gratification to keep me engaged for days. As with most things the initial attempt made it quickly clear …