A few years ago, I spent a little over a month in the loving care of Kake Gakuen, an Okayama, Japan-based educational institution comprising around 20-30 universities and secondary/vocational schools. While there, I made quite a few friends, most of whom I haven't seen in over two years.

This Friday is Vernal Equinox Day, a national holiday in Japan, so I'm taking a day of paid leave on Monday, giving me a much-needed 4-day weekend. So...

I'm going back! Okayama is way...

Finally found a decent hotel for my trip to Niigata City this weekend. I procrastinated on reservations, so I didn't get the hotel I wanted. How was I to know there would be a huge sake festival tomorrow and Sunday? Not to mention forgetting that 3.14 is White Day, Japan's second Valentine's Day, because, apparently, they* feel they need to have two

I wanted to book a room at the Nikko Hotel in the tres chic and still-quite-new Bandaijima Building. Preferably looking out over the river....

Woo! I'm a blagger now!