なつかしい (natsukashii) the Japanese word to express nostalgia embodies my most recent trip. Eleven years ago I moved to Kikuchi, a small town in southern Japan where I lived and and taught English for two years. Though this wasn't my first trip back to Japan since I left (I returned in 2010 for a class) it was my first trip this area I once called home.

Returning to Kumamoto-ken brought forth a flood of memories as I walked along the streets and visited places that I had once known so well. Naturally things have changed a lot since I left Kikuchi both in the physical sense and, in my case, maturity-wise. I'm no longer that fresh faced kid, directly out of college working my first professional job. The inevitable life experiences of an adult since then have changed my own perspective on many things including my time in Japan. Living as a foreigner in a small and somewhat conservative town in a rural part of a homogenous country is difficult and at the time I mistook my personal struggle with the isolation and homogenity with a dislike for life in Japan. Currently living in a similar situation here in Korea I realize now I actually enjoy Japan and Japanese culture and when I returned I felt a familiar warmth. I will always look back fondly on this trip not just because of it was an incredible vacation  and I met so many kind-hearted people but also because it allowed me to put so much into perspective within my own life.

Over time I'll update this page as well as the Globe Trekker section with photos from my trip - I took several thousand so it's a lot to sort through. Until then please enjoy a few highlights which will forever stand out in my mind in an overall fantastic trip.

Eri

Eri was a friend and co-teacher at Kikuchi High School. Her energetic and upbeat personality cheered me up when living abroad felt overwhelmingly difficult. I loved our little chats at work and the time we spent together outside of school. Over the years we've managed to keep in touch via Christmas/New Year cards and e-mails though both of us have moved around quite a bit since we parted ways 9 years ago at Fukuoka Airport. I was excited to meet up with her in Kikuchi for a tour of our old school and a visit to Kikuchi Gorge. Eri, always hospitable and truly kind, sent me a message the next evening to invite me on an impromptu road trip to the gorgeous islands of Amakusa in southern Kumamoto on the following day. We enjoyed a day surrounded by lush green mountains, glistening blue waters and excitable dolphins. Afterwards we spent the evening in Yamaga enjoying the sights and sounds of it's annual summer festival. It was so heart warming to see that our friendship had continued even with the distance of an ocean between us.

Kikuchi

The small town  of Kikuchi moves at a slower pace than cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. As I wondered around all the familiar sights it almost felt as if I never left - sure the video store wasn't there anymore but my local hang out was in addition to my favorite sweet shop. However, for the most part Kikuchi hasn't changed much over the 9 years with one exception - Kikuchi High School. The main building in which I worked and the gymnasium were gone and a brand new building and grassy park were in their place. It was surreal to see a place with which I was once so familiar to suddenly be so foreign. However, though I realized that time really had moved on since I left Kikuchi I still felt an overwhelming feeling of nostaglia as I walked the halls of Kikuchi High School with Eri and we reminisced about our time there.

山鹿灯篭祭り

Kumamoto typically boasts some of the highest temperatures in Japan and with the accompanying humidity summers can be quite miserable there. It would've been physically more comfortable to visit the area at a different time but I was determined to see a local festival which I had missed both years while I lived there. The Yamaga Lantern Festival is an annual event which combines aspects of Buddhist rituals, Shinto practices in addition to dancing, drumming, games, beer and food on a stick. This festival is renown throughout Japan because on the 2nd night one thousand women dance wearing yukata and delicate hand made paper lanterns dance near Omiya Shrine re-enacting the welcoming of the Emperor Keiko from historical times.

Amakusa

In the two years I lived in Kumamoto I had only heard mention of the beautiful islands of Amakusa but had never taken the opportunity to visit them myself. I incredibly regret not doing so. Amakusa is a gorgeous tropical get away - it's what I imagine Hawaii to look like with pristine blue water, lush green valleys and tall mountains in the distance. I suspect there are lovely beaches on the islands but we only had a few hours to spend there so instead we decided to go on a boat ride out into the Sea of Japan so we could watch the local colony of dolphins. Afterwards we stopped at a local restaurant which freshly prepared some of Amakusa's famous seafood. Though I only had the opportunity to spend a short amount of time there Amakusa is really one of the most beautiful places I've seen on all my travels.

Food

As a vegetarian my food choices were severely limited in Japan but what I could eat was delicious. I truly enjoy the subtle flavors and quality ingredients incorporated in Japanese dishes. I was concerned I would have difficulties finding food to eat and there were definitely some frustrating moments as I searched a restaurant that could meet my dietary restrictions but when I found a possible place the waitstaff were incredibly helpful in catering to my needs. It seems I still speak enough Japanese to get across the point that I eat absolutely no meat otherwise this would've been a much more disheartening and complicated experience (and probably one that would've involved eating much more meat than I would care to consider).

Perhaps the best meal during this trip was at a small tofu restaurant in Kumamoto, a place to which Mayu, a friendly couchsurfer introduced me. Couchsurfing is an online travelers' community and meeting Mayu was my first couchsurfing experience - it turned out to be a great one, we had a pleasant dinner with her friends and I enjoyed the food so much I returned the next evening!

Kami-Sama

As an anthropologist interested in localized religious practices I think it's natural most of my time in Japan was spent at Shinto shrines. In only 9 days I visited more than 25 shrines and at each one I asked the kami to look out for me during my trip and if they would be so kind - not to let it rain too much. Though each and every day had a forecast of thunderstorms it rarely rained while I was in Kumamoto and Fukuoka - and when it did the showers tended to be brief. It is unusual I am so lucky when it comes to weather (it's guaranteed to rain at least once every time I visit Chicago from afar). I am thankful I got to enjoy my vacation outside enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the area rather than looking out a cafe window wistfully hoping it'll stop raining.

Visiting so many shrines in such a short amount of time allowed me to gain more perspective on the similarities and differences between shrines as well as the religion of Shinto, itself.

This past trip has made me reflect on how truly fortunate I am - travel is one of my greatest passions and I have been very lucky to have had numerous incredible experiences. My travels have allowed me to gain new perspectives into my own life and come to appreciate the diverse range of cultures throughout the world.

While making my travel plans to return to the United States for my brother's wedding I decided to spend the 1 1/2 extra days I had available in Chicago.  I grew up in a small town outside of the city and visited only sporadically over the years while I was growing up and into my early 20's. However when I moved there a year or two after moving back from Japan I suddenly realized why I never quite felt  settled in all the other places I've lived - they weren't Chicago. The city has a vibrancy and life force with which I instantly fell in love and still haven't forgotten. The chatter of voices in multiple languages, the eclectic neighborhoods the incredible food and immeasurable diversity all make it an enchanting city. Since leaving the city when I return for a brief visit I would always feel a resurgence of vitality and I would become smitten all over again. The cadence of the city was music to me - even now I miss the sound of El which used to lull me to sleep when I lived in Lincoln Square.

Though I didn't get to spend a lot of time in the city and do everything I had hoped to do I did get to visit a few of my favorite places. I was able to take an early morning stroll in Millennium Park, visit Kuma's and Molly's and walk through the city in the evening enjoying the brief respite from the high temperatures of the day. While there my friends Joshua and Chaitanya came up to spend time with me and we spent the day shopping, chatting and overindulging on tasty food.

I truly wish I had more time there - I was overwhelmed with how much I missed the city and how I felt part of it as I walked along the streets - a far cry from the isolation and exclusion I feel in my daily life in Korea. For me, Chicago is and will always be home.

With spring finally here the cherry blossoms are blooming and towns throughout Korea are holding festivals. The trees were brought to Korea during its occupation by Japan where cherry blossoms are all but the national flower. In Japan 桜花見 (cherry blossom viewing) involves groups of friends, family or co-workers gathering under the trees for food and drink while admiring the blooms. The celebration in Korea is similar with people gathering to admire the blooms but also incorporates a more organized festival with food vendors selling a variety of greasy fare, natural remedies, treats in addition to performers in outlandish makeup serenading the attendees. The local waygook-in contingent got together to enjoy the blooms on a beautiful evening this week.

Click here to see more pictures of cherry blossom festivals around Korea and here for pictures of cherry blossoms.