Blog Posts

Backcountry Cabin Life Ryotsui

2/20/2017

By: Glenn Tatarsky

There is a meditative quality living in a small cabin in the backcountry surrounded by the perfecture of a landscape of Japanese trees and wind sculptured fields of snow. There is a natural warmth generated from the elements of wood, warm lighting, and open space. A temple like experience. Have we reached a state of nirvana or found zen? It feels that way to me. Cocooning with my family in this element, slowing down the speed of life, losing an awareness of time, and just "being" is a tonic for the soul. One has to work harder, travel further, and be willing to stray from the comfort of the known path. Yes, this is a luxury and I'm not naive to the fact that it requires resources to do so. However, it also demands a willingness to let go and risk the uncertainty of the unknown. The journey is the reward.

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Harajuku

2/19/2017

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Hey, Kylie here. Just a couple days ago we went to an area in Tokyo called Harajuku. It was awesome!! We went down a street that was called Takeshita, and there was sooo much amazing stuff there. Just to give an idea of some of the things that were on the street, here are some photos:

Rainbow cotton-candy on a stick!

Sweet shop with a TON of sugar.. and people!

View from the top of the street, so many visitors and natives!!

My overall experience in Harajuku was great. I loved all the food and people. Oh, I almost forgot! One of the things I loved and thought was super funny was a lady-who was, mmm, maybe 50?-walking down the street banging a mini drum and screaming a song in Japanese. That was a pretty odd site, but it made me smile. :)

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Hitting the Road...

2/18/2017

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We did it. We packed it all up and hit the road. Getting to this point was one of the hardest things we've done in a long time (and we can do hard things). The emotions, the planning, the discussions, the planning, the packing, the planning....whew, it was a lot! Shout out to Megan Harvey and her crew for their guidance and advice. I'm not sure we would have made it without you guys!

First stop Japan: Tokyo, then on to Hokkaido and back to Kyoto. We figured it's a great first stop on our adventure. It's foreign yet familiar. A culture unique in its history and people. We've found Tokyo to resemble our beloved New York City, with its own twist on fashion, food, architecture and people. Here are just a few photos of the things we've enjoyed thus far.

And to everyone asking "whaaat?" and "how did you do it?" and "OMG, what about school?", we'll cover that soon enough. Maybe I'll ask one of the kids to share their perspective. This is as much their adventure as mine.