Divanun Guide/ Tokyo

April 9, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

This DivaNun Guide is a one pager of everything to do, see, and eat in Tokyo.

Historical

Imperial Palace
- The site of a beautiful garden and the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan
Senso-ji Temple
- An ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo
Meiji Shrine
- The Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken

Cultural

Kanda Matsuri
- One of the 3 great Shinto festivals in Tokyo
Yoyogi Park
- A nice large outdoor space to sit and enjoy some nice weather. It is not connected to Meiji shrine they have different entrances.
Museums
- Tokyo National Museum
- Mori Art Museum
- The National Art Center Tokyo
Shinjuku Gyoen National Park
- A large park and garden located in Shinjuku that has phenomenal landscaping and a green house. Great for photo shoots and an extensive rose garden
Harajuku
- A neighborhood south of Shinjuku with great fashion and food
- be sure
Ni-Chome
- The gay district of Tokyo located in Shinjuku
Craft Sake Week
- A great even where you can sample different types of sake from Japan. Happens in the spring in Roppongi
Shimokitazawa
- Tokyo's answer to Brooklyn. A cool hip neighborhood filled with thrift stores and cute little shops
Golden Gai
- A series of narrow alleys filled with bars that can only fit 5-8 people at a time. I visited a couple of these and I found them to be extremely expensive and super touristy. Most of the bars charge an entrance fee and the drinks were expensive. I would suggest getting a bottle of your choice from 7/11 and then wandering these streets.
Piss Alley
- A narrow side street next to the bustling Shinjuku metro station which has a series of small bars, yakitori grills, and food stalls. I walked down this street a bunch of times and the smell of food is so delicious but I never actually ate at any of the stalls. I would definitely suggest coming here to get a quick bite.
Meguro River
- During Cherry Blossom Season the Meguro river which is lined with this pale pink blossoms becomes a huge outdoor market with stalls selling food and alcohol as you wander and enjoy the natural beauty
Karaoke
- There are many places scattered across this city where you can sing popular songs with your friends in private rooms. The only place I went to where you sang karaoke in public was a bar in Ni-Chome. They are open all night so it's a great place to go before the train comes in the morning

Food

With the most restaurants of any city you can literally eat anywhere and have a world class dining experience but here are some of my favorite spots
Tsukiji Food Market: There are some of the more famous shops here for sushi but in my opinion they are over priced and you can get the exact same fish from a shop a little deeper in the market. Just wander around and check prices. There's also a stall selling snow crab buns that are absolutely divine.
Ramen
- Asuka: In Shibuya serves a special tan-tan ramen thats hard to find. It is a sesame flavored ramen, very spicy, and it topped with fried pork
- Hayashi: In Shibuya very delicious
- Kikanbo Ramen: Has some of the best spicy miso ramen in Tokyo
- There's more but I made the mistake of not saving a number of restaraunts to my google maps.
Gyoza Restaruant in Ni-Chome: On the weekends there's a late night gyoza places that slings some of the most delicious morsels of heaven I had. The name is in Chinese so its impossible to say but the location is across the street from the Apa hotel.
Tsurutontan Shinjuku: it's a chain and a little pricey but one of the best bowls of Udon I had in my life
Coco Ichibanya: Yes this place is a chain but it has such a reliably spicy pork curry that my heart will forever sing.

Miscellaneous

Irori Hostel
Night Life: Going out in Tokyo is all about making the last train home or staying up until the first train in the morning. Any bar or club you're in will stay open after the last train leaves so don't fear what you'll do inbetween.
- FancyHim: a queer underground dance night hosted in Ni-chome https://www.facebook.com/fancyhimtokyo/
- Slideluck Tokyo: An event where food meets art and you can meet cool local artists http://slideluck.com/city/tokyo/
- Aiiro Cafe: Where the gays congregate as the night begins. They have a beer blast HH that always brings a crowd
- Eagle Tokyo: This cute establishment has a very long bar and is popular with the bears. I suggest ordering a double whiskey highball you won't regret it
- Dragon: The top 40 music dancing destination. Not a personal fav of mine but they are a staple on the weekends.
- Trump Room: By far my fav venue in Tokyo. This is located in Shibuya and its a hassle to get to but the inside is filled with gold-plated tables and mirrors with super cool Dj's spinning until the early hours of the morning.
Facebook Groups
- Tokyo Expat Network: a place where I learned the most about renting an apartment and other information about settling into Japan
- Fruits in Suits Tokyo: a LGBT buisness related facebook group great for networking and meeting other people
- Couch Surfing Tokyo: Host weekly meetups and great for expanding your social circle.

Travel/ Navigation

In Tokyo
- The Tokyo subway system while sprawling and large is actually not that hard to navigate. Its like New York its much scarier then it looks. There are signs in english in most places and google maps will be so helpful for navigating your way around the city. The trains do not run after midnight so make sure you want to stay out all night. Thankfully you can buy alcohol at 7/11 or any convenience store all night long
- Ubers and taxis are super expensive so I suggest avoiding them at all costs like the price is wild no one is trying to pay that.
From Tokyo
- There are night buses that I took to Kyoto.
- You can find cheap flights on budget airlines like Peach
- BEFORE YOU ARRIVE you can apply for a discounted bullet train rail pass in 1-3 week incrememnts. I didn't do this but there's more information here

Next Visit

Get some custom clothes made at Y. & Sons
More Day Trips
- Chiba
- Hakone
See Mt Fuji
Eat Ramen

Sayonara Japan

April 5, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The quiet alleyway that housed my bedroom in Shinjuku had more vending machines then it had corners to put them on. It was one of those quirks that could only occur in Japan. Another quirk was how they listed the room sizes online by tatami mats. What size was a tatami mat? I had no idea what a room that was "6 tatami mats" in size would look like. Would three suitcases of clothes fit in 6 tatami mats? I didn't have that cultural reference but I checked out the room anyway. It was big enough for a bed, desk, and couch as well as all my clothes, I spent 3 months in that room as birds chirped and rain fell, I couldn't believe so much time had passed. As I was packing up to leave I grabbed my red travel journal and flipped to the first entry after I landed. Two questions jumped off the page "What am I going to find in Japan?" and "What kind of person would I be upon leaving?" I knew even then that coming to Japan was more than just eating ramen and exploring cultural sites and partying, it was also about exploring who I was and what I could become.

While I was packing Sejan went on a morning walk around my neighborhood. Would Sejan notice the multitude of vending machines or the turtle mural above the car wash? Some details of the world only reveal themselves after you walk the same road multiple times. Like how different the street smells when the roasted sweet potatoes are outside the supermarket in the evenings. These are details the casual observer would ignore, details that aren't adventurous or instagrammable. But what I didn't realize until I arrived was that the pedestrian and average plays a big part in long-term travel.

Exploring bamboo forests, getting lost in Yoyogi park, discovering cool thrift stores stand tall in the imagination but they make up such a small part of long-term travel. In truth, the "everyday reality" of travel is much more mundane but it is in those moments when you have to face yourself and whatever baggage you're carrying. For me, it was the feelings of loneliness and insecurity. I interrogated the mythologies I tell myself: Am I really outgoing? Am I really a good photographer? Can I really travel the world by myself? With nothing to distract me, I had to face them head-on. No more running away. I was afraid that If I answered them my insecurities would be true and I would have to change what I dreamed about. But when I looked back at what I had accomplished I realized I had so much power and strength. I pushed through and created art with local artists that inspired me. I fostered a community of friends that I could rely on for strength and support. I survived the sadness, the insecurity, the days I didn't want to leave my room to have an amazing time. Turns out that by running away from these questions I was denying myself the truth of how amazing and talented I was.

The night before I left Tokyo I sat surrounded by friends both new and old at the bar of a tiny ramen restaurant in Shibuya. I loved ramen before I came but I developed a whole new appreciation for the art form after slurping countless bowls. I had left 3 months prior unsure of what would become of me. And in some ways, I'm still unsure. What I did foster was a deeper connection with my strengths and weaknesses. Turns out life is like making a bowl of ramen it's going to take a lifetime of repetition to make the perfect bowl. Japan was the hardest country to start my travels- the equivalent of skiing down a black diamond your first time on the slopes. As much as I hoped, knowing that didn't make it any easier. I learned to be kind to myself especially since Japan was just the first stop of many. It wasn't going to be perfect first time on the mountain. I can't let my expectations get in the way of my results. My travels around the world will be just as much about creating art and meeting new people as it is about healing.

So Sayonara Japan, thank you for giving me space to fail and grow and cry and laugh and discover. Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive.

Artist Collaboration Nozomi Teranishi

April 2, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

One of my big dreams about my time in Japan was the ability to work with a Japanese artist. I scoured the internet and used every trick in boolean logic to find upcoming talent that would be interested in working with me. After I had all but given up, when in walks Nozomi Teranishi, an amazing photographer and visual artist from Fukushima, Japan. Their photography series The Regeneration of Complex Societies, about their experience of the 2011 earthquake caught my attention and wouldn't let go- see the photo series on their website.

We met up for drinks and spend the rest of the evening having a photoshoot. I was curious how I would look behind someone else's lens. The photo's we took of each other that evening was so much fun and it makes me want to continue collaboration with other artists.

The photos Nozomi took of me.

It's always interesting working with other photographers and seeing how their creative eye works and what stands out to them versus myself.

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Archive of Softness II

March 26, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I was introduced to Iniko an extremely talented artist by a mutual online friend. We connected over facebook messenger but didn't end up meeting for the shoot until the last 2 weeks of my time in Tokyo due to both of our busy schedules. I had so much fun shooting them, we got to talk about our mutual passions of performing arts, acting and music while exploring Hinokicho Park. I had always walked by and through this park on my way to dinner parties but I had never taken the time to truly explore this tiny slice of nature in the middle of Roppongi.

One of the things Iniko and I talked about was what intrigued them about the project. They said, "For most of my life I've navigated as a black femme and only recently realized that I am genderfluid. I wanted to be able to play with that fluidity in this shoot. Being ambiguous to people has always been something I love." I was so happy to hear that because I love using fashion and my body to play with gender. And I loved the outfit that Iniko wore because it played with different binaries like child/adult, feminine/masculine.

When asked about the portrayal of blackness in Japan Iniko stated, "Blackness in Tokyo is still thought of as a style, I think. There are shops dedicated to looking ghetto and Ive seen plenty of Japanese people with cornrows and tanned skin. However, that perception is slowly but surely changing." My eyes widened, thankfully I never saw any of the stores that sell ghetto chic because I would have had some words about the commodification of blackness in Japan. But I have seen multiple Japanese people treat my friends and I like our hair or our bodies were open for consumption. I'm happy they think the perception is slowly changing but with black face still happening in Japan on television they have a long way to go.

Check out Iniko's music on Spotify here.

See other photos from the series.

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Kinkaku-ji & Ginkaku-ji

February 16, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Nervously, a pair of girls in matching plaid skirts and white shirts came up to me with a piece of crumpled paper in one hand and a pencil in another. They expressed they were at Ginkaku-ji, The Silver Pavillion, for a school project to interview tourists about Japan. I now understood why the gaggle of children had been starring at me since my arrival. They had been working up the courage to interview me. When I responded to their first question in Japanese their faces lit up. After they finished their questions we posed for the photo below.

After the photo Sejan and I made our way out of the pavillion grounds and headed off to get some food. Satisfied and exhausted from our final day of exploration around Kyoto. After returning from Nara we only had one full day before we caught the night bus back to Tokyo. We decided to check out the sibling pavillions of Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji.

Turned into a Zen temple after the death of the wealthy Shogun that bought it, Kinkaku-ji ( The Gold Pavillion) might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It stands solitary on a lake. A reminder that pure beauty is sometimes best presented without distraction. The top two floors of this pavillion are covered in gold leaf and when the midday sun illuminates this pavillion the entire grounds take on a warm golden glow. Despite not arriving till after noon the crowds of tourists didn't impede our photographic pursuits. Kinkaku-ji does not take a long time to explore, the pavillion on the lake is the main attraction so afterward we caught the bus to Ginkaku-ji.

Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavillion), was built by the grandson of the Shogun who created Kinkaku-ji. The architecture of the former was used as inspiration when creating Ginkaku-ji. The grounds of The Silver Pavillion are a lot grander than the Gold. Perhaps because the pavillion itself is unremarkable. My favorite part of this complex was the Sea of Silver Sand a gorgeous dry sand garden. The photo above is of the Moon Viewing Platform the main attraction of the sand garden.

The rest of Ginkaku-ji has been beautifully landscaped to take advantage of the rocky terrain and sharp changes in elevation of the grounds. With large trees and rocks placed around pools populated by fish. This pavillion could double as a garden. After hiking up Fushimi Inari and dashing across the city this was the perfect peaceful end to our trip to Kyoto.

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Nara

February 2, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Nara's main ingredients are deer, history, and temples. After thousands of years of close contact, because deer are regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, the deer have developed a familiarity with humans that I have never seen before. The deer in Nara are famous because if you bow at them they will return the gesture in exchange for crackers. I thought it was such a lovely idea. A city full of deer. And for the first couple hours it was.

Nara was Japan's first permanent capitol and the Nara period lasted from 710-794. While debates rage in the linguistic community as to the origin and meaning of the name Nara, one thing that is certain is that if you go to Kyoto, Nara makes for a perfect day trip.

The market stalls around the station were the smallest I've seen yet. The prices have steadily fallen since Tokyo, skin masks that were previously 1000 yen were now 700 yen. Out first stop was Toda-ji Temple, Eastern Great Temple, one of the 7 great temples located in Nara. Deer roam the grounds of this ancient site and as we entered the first gate to head to the Great Buddha Hall seen in the photos above my take on the abundance of deer in the city changed. A pair of school children were feeding a deer when it abruptly started peeing right in front of them. I turned around to get away from the sight only to see a deer pooping a couple feet away. The Buddha in Toda-ji Temple is the largest bronze buddha in the world. It is the representation of Vairocana, the celestial buddha, an embodiment of the concept of emptiness.

My favorite statue in the temple was not the grand Buddha, but this wooden statue I came across after exiting the temple. The statue is of Binzuru, also known as Pindola Bharadvaja, one of Buddha's disciples. According to custom if you rub a part of Binzuru and then that same spot on your own body your ailment will disappear. We exited the temple grounds and were about to cross the street when some deer ambled across ignorant of the red lights and the drivers hoping to continue on their daily commute. I looked around the city, a large park to my right, the temple behind me and suddenly I started to realize that the entire city smelled like shit and pee. I wasn't sure how I never noticed it before but the scent was pervasive.

Our next stop on our Nara tour was the Harushika Sake Brewery. The origins of sake are hard to trace but most sources place the first recordings of it during the Nara period. At this brewery you can taste 5 different sakes for 500 yen which is less then $5, as well you get a cute little souvenir sake glass that I brought back as a gift for my father. While I gained a lot of knowledge during my time at the Craft Sake Fair, I got to try a couple sakes that I've never tried before like the Daiginjo Shiromiki, which is sake that's only partially filtered so there's still rice sediment and it was a little fizzy. Sejan and I left the brewery with a take away bottle that we drunk as we made our way to another one of Nara's hidden gems.

Maguro Koya, is the perfect way to soak up the alcohol from the sake tasting at Hiroshika. Its a tiny restaurant that was filled with locals and the only thing it serves is tuna. I got tuna three different ways. I had a delicious raw tuna steaks, then shredded tuna over a bowl of rice, and then fried tuna cakes. Before I came to Japan I definitely would have stated that my favorite fish was salmon. Tuna to me always used to invoke a squat can filled with a mysterious liquid and an even stranger meat. But I have been blown away with the subtlety of flavor that tuna provides. Now I've seen the light.

The end to Sejan and I's day started where it began. Full on food as simple as it was delicious we made out way towards the Kofuku-ji Temple to buy some of the crackers so we could feed the deer. Trying to feed the deer at the same time as we tried to get photos of us proved more difficult than anticipated. While some of the deer were super sweet as soon as some of the older deer spotted the crackers they would charge at you and sniff all around you trying to figure out where they were. Sejan and I had watched earlier as this couple had their starbucks knocked out of their hand as the deer ripped open the bag in search of crackers.

With the deer as full as we were Sejan and I headed back to Kyoto for one final day of exploration. Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Fushimi Inari

October 3, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The sun wasn't even out when my alarm shook me awake. My eyes half open, I climbed down off the bunk bed making sure not to awake the person on the bottom. Through the dim light I could see that Sejan's bed was already empty. It took every fibre of my being to stay awake but I knew we had to arrive before the hoards of tourist descended.

By the time we were on our way the city of Kyoto was just starting to wake. Buisnessmen rushed past us heads focused on emails. School children were groggy as their parents took them to classes. We stopped by a bakery before we started our cimb. The curried pork was cradled in thick dough and provided the energy we needed for the two hour hike up Fushimi Inari.

The food vendors that line the way to the main shrine of Inari, the God of rice, fertility, and agriculture, were just beginning to set up as we first set our eyes on the beautiful vermillion gate. Fushimi Inari existed before the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794, and you can tell that the mountain contains a powerful energy. So it's fitting that the mountain is adorned with thousands of torii gates- whose existence serves to demarcate the transition from secular to sacred.

Sejan and I made our way to the Senbon Torii, two parallel rows of gates that sprout from behind the main shrine at the Romon gate. By this point, the sun was still faint, not strong enough to illuminate the dense cluster of gates that start the beginning of the hike.

The senbon torii empties you into the first of many small shrines that dot the mountain side. A tiny fox sits on a stone pedastal with a piece of wheat dangling from its mouth. In Shinto mythology foxes are seen as Inari's messengers and are also portrayed with keys and other objects in their mouth.

The trail is relatively level the first half. The Torii gates get further apart and specks of green stand cool against the warmth of the vermillion. Some of the gates are well aged, bearing the weight of the prayers that placed them there. While others gleam shiny and new. The gates have been paid for by business and individuals which is why Fushimi Inari is one of the few shrines in Kyoto that is free of charge to enter and explore. 4,000 dollars can get you a small gate while six figures can fetch you one of the extremely large gates.

After walking past a beautiful stream the pathway turned to stairs. At this point more people joined us on the narrow trail. Despite being no earlier then 9am the steep incline of the stairs and the breathability of my gown caused me to sweat profusely, but Sejan and I press on. We pass a few restaurants selling water, snacks, and other refreshments. As well we see the price of water in the vending machines increase the further up the mountain we go. My calves are tight, I pray that we are more than half way up the mountain.

A plateau appears where I can see and hear people gathering. I gathered my energy thinking we've reached the top. As I cross the last stair a strong breeze greets me like an old friend. The city of Kyoto looks snug in between a forrest and another set of mountains off in the distance. I turn around and instead of being greeted with a big shrine I see three different trails as well as a small sign that states the peak is still a 50 minute hike away.

After climbing the equivalent of 39 flights of stairs Sejan and I made it to the peak. By then it was extremely crowded and it no longer felt like we had the mountain to ourself. The quiet and tranquil walk we had as we journeyed up the mountain was replaced with the sounds of camera shutters, sneakers falling on the concrete, and crying children. The breezy cool morning air was now filled with stagnant heat which would have made just starting the climb unbearable. The further we got down the mountain the more congested it became.

My beautiful dream had become a nightmare. It was hard to believe that Sejan and I were on the same mountain. Once we exited the main gate we looked around and a sea of people greeted us. The food vendors now operational filled the air with delicious scents of fried chicken, takoyaki, and grilled meats.

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Fashion Meditation VI

September 9, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

What do you do when the gaps between expectation and reality are a chasm too wide to cross? The nights I spent drinking under the red Torii gate at Aiiro Cafe and dancing at Dragon Man were a long way away from how I envisioned spending my nights in Tokyo.

I felt trapped by how I wasn't living up to my expectations and slightly resentful at Tokyo for not being the dream land I wanted it to be. Needed it to be. After skyping with friends I realized its foolish to blame the reality of Tokyo for not living up to a fantasy world built over broken glass.

Like arriving at the Imperial Palace with Sejan wearing my yellow Eloquii skirt, only to find that the grounds aren't open to the public- coming to Tokyo didn't work out like I planned. I had to reteach myself that I can't control what happens all the time, but I can control my response.

My early annoyance at the lack of options in Ni-chome, the gay district in Tokyo, was replaced by all the fun my friends and I had just by sitting outside a convenience store while drinking. The reality of the amazing friendships that I had created while wondering the thin streets of Ni-chome was way better then the expectation.

I was surprised by how upset I got when Tokyo didn't meet my expectations. I always painted this experience as the beginning of the rest of my life. I was feeling like a fraud. But I was putting too much pressure on myself. It was hard for me to live in the moment because I was so focused on how Tokyo would fit into the pantheon of my life experiences.

However as I introduced Sejan to my Tokyo family I realized how much I had accomplished personally. I came to a city where I knew no one and made friends in different communities. Sometimes we are so quick to find fault in ourself that we discount all the amazing things we've done. Tokyo taught me to be kinder to myself and that I can accomplish more than I know.

Posing with the Cacti in Shinjuku Gyoen Green House

In Tokyo I was challenged with the task of picking up the fragments of my dreams and piecing them back together to form my new reality. When it comes to expectation versus reality I've realized that expectation can be an enemy to your success.

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Shinjuku Gyoen & Meiji Shrine

September 4, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

My legs were sore, tiny bolts of electricity danced through my calves with every step I took. The pedometer in my iPhone calculated had just hit 9 miles today almost on par with the 10 I walked yesterday. The line graph since Sejan's arrival jutted high like a mountain, towering above the days spent at home. I was spending my time in Tokyo more like a vacation and less like a natural part of my everyday life.

When you travel with someone you have to make sure that you have similar travel styles. Good friends do not always make good travel partners. On vacation Sejan moves at a lightning pace, routinely walking a mile in the mornings before I had even woken up. Meanwhile, I like to slow down, stretch out the hours until I melt into the local vibrations. Despite the difference in our speeds Sejan and I made great travel buddies because we care a lot about good food, taking amazing pictures, and being efficient.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is an oasis in the middle of hectic, chaotic, and busy Shinjuku. Rows of gorgeous award winning roses. Gardens designed in French, Japanese, and English styles. And large open spaces - perfect for a picnic greet you inside this haven. I had seen so many beautiful photos here and I couldn't wait to capture some of my own. Green houses have always been a love of mine because they represent a liminal space allowing flowers to grow in spaces and times when they would normally die.

During the Edo Period, Shinjuku Gyoen served as the home of the feudal lord of Tokyo. In 1903 it was transfered to the Imperial Family, but it wasn't until 1949 that it was opened as a public park after almost being destroyed during World War II. World War II always seemed so far away when I learned about it in school. However, living in Tokyo has made me realize the scars countries have beared from the brutal conflict and how much important cultural history was almost lost.

After wandering around Shinjuku Gyoen Sejan and I headed towards Meiji Shrine. If I had been by myself I would have walked back home after enjoying a delicious bowl of ramen, however, Sejan was on a mission and so we hoped on the train and headed to our next destination.

Now, I didn't mean to save the shrine dedicated to the father of modern Japan for when Sejan arrived. I actually tried to explore Meiji shrine my third week but I got lost in Yoyogi Park. I assumed that since the two shared grounds that you could walk from one to the other. However, after many attempts- I gave up. On my way out of Yoyogi I happened upon a group of rockabillies and it was then that I realized that Yoyogi and Meiji have different entrances.

The shrine itself was completed in 1920, eight years after Emperor Meiji had passed. Interestingly enough he took the throne when he was only 15 years old. The grounds start with a large wooden gate and a wide road. The road eventually brings you to the sake barrels that you see above. These are donated every year as an offering. As you continue down the wooded trail the sounds and sights of Tokyo fall away and you forget that you are in a city.

Deep in the forrest sits the Meiji Shrine which was unfortunately under renovations in the ramp up to the 2020 Olympics. So I didn't get any good photos of the shrine itself but I loved wandering around all the altars and cleansing stations. Despite my exhaustion I was happy to be sharing my time in Tokyo with someone that I've known for so long.

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Fukuoka

August 24, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The Sea of Japan was calm as the boat made its way to Fukuoka. Black and white captions scrolled across the screen of the nearest television. An image of Trump cut to an image of Kim Jong-un before a news commentator appeared. I pressed my head against the cold glass happy that I hadn't missed the boat to Japan. I was even happier that I made the trip across the sea in the first place. A dose of media hysteria made me afraid to leave Japan. However, in South Korea I was greeted with calm not paranoia. My time away from the states made me forget how over exxagerated the news coverage can be.

Even though I had just gotten used to the rhythym of my life in Tokyo I knew I needed a break. I am a firm believer that frequent breaks from your environment helps you to appreciate it so much more. For me, that was reconnecting to why I love travel in the first place. My time exploring South Korea gave me just enough distance to return to Japan with a mission and a drive I hadn't felt since the plane took off from Newark Airport all those months ago.

Taking the ferry had many advantages over a direct flight from Tokyo to Seoul. I got to explore the city of Busan- aka South Korea's answer to San Francisco very briefly. As well I was taking two days to explore a small city called Fukuoka which rests on the island of Kyushu, the most southern of the main islands of Japan. But most importantly I didn't have to worry about any liquid limits and bought a ton of Korean skin care products.

Thankfully Fukuoka greeted me with sun and clouds as opposed to the intense rain storm that greeted me on the first leg of my journey. I was told that Fukuoka was known for a very intense pork ramen called hakata ramen. So my first stop after checking into my hostel was a big bowl of ramen. I was so hungry and tired from my marathon travels but trust me when I say I ate the most rich bowl of ramen in my life.

I had always hoped that the sadness which clouded the beginning of my time in Tokyo would lift and that I would develop an appreciation of the city even as I grew to realize that Tokyo was not able to give me what I needed. Those dreams were true the morning I woke up in Fukuoka. I had half a day to explore the city before heading back to Tokyo which I had begun to consider my home. Tokyo was so clear to me and I couldn't wait to take advantage of all that it had to offer. My original plan was to go to the Wisteria gardens and take some self portraits there. However, I was more tired than I anticipated and instead decided to keep it local. I ate some udon from a shop across from my hostel and then made my way to Ohori Park.

Ohori Park opened in 1929 and was modeled after the West Lake of China. This park is beautiful and a great place to relax by the water. What I really loved about it was the beautiful stone bridges that cut their way through the middle of the lake.

The main attraction is this stunning vermillion structure that juts off the edge of the mini islands. The city surrounds it and its really pretty. After wandering around the park you can also see the ruins of an old castle. I wish I had more time to explore Fukuoka and Japan. My tourist visa meant that I had to choose between traveling deeply or broadly. The only Japanese cities I planned on exploring besides Tokyo was Nara, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. I choose deep because I really wanted to create community and art in Tokyo which can only grow from a consistent time in one place. The choice of depth was a success even though I had to change my initial vision of what success meant to me.

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