Tag Archives: japan

Take a Walk Through Tokyo With Me

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Ryan Murdock

It’s been quiet here in Road Wisdom land, but it’s the silence of distant places rather than the silence of inactivity that has fallen over my blog…

I’ve been on the road these past couple months. Exploring the rugged interior of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Navigating the hectic city streets of Tokyo, and the quieter corners of northern Honshu. And more recently in the US — the farthest steamy south at Key West, and then across the continent to Seattle to see The Church and hang with Steve Kilbey.

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Posted in Japan, Video Blogs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Gnu Year 2011!

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Ryan Murdock

Happy Gnu Year!

It’s been several weeks since I’ve had a chance to write. I’ve been offline in the South Pacific, and now in northern Japan celebrating the New Year Japanese-style. It’s the big  family holiday here (rather than Christmas), with lots of amazing food and far too much to drink.

I’ll write more about the foods and sites of Japan in the coming weeks, as well as the South Pacific territory of New Caledonia. I filmed a few videos for you too.

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Posted in Asia, Japan | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Tokyo Pose

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Ryan Murdock

A few more notes from my recent trip to Japan (and then we’ll get back to North Korea)…

Today I’d like to talk about one of the coolest cities in the world, a place where I lived from 2000 to 2002.

Tokyo is a vast urban sprawl that spreads to engulf neighbouring cities and towns faster every year. The current population of the metro area is approximately 28 million. It bears mentioning that the population of Canada, an enormous country 26 times the size of Japan, is 31 million.

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Sumo Size Me

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Ryan Murdock

My apologies for the long delay since my last update. I’ve been in Japan for the past couple weeks and just returned home.

We’ll get back to North Korea very soon. But first I’d like to share with you a few images from this last trip…

Let’s begin with sumo.

I got hooked on sumo while living in Tokyo between 2000 and 2002. As a martial artist the technical aspects of course impress me–the throws, the strategies, the sudden reversals. But it’s even more interesting when you get to know the history of each wrestler and the particulars of their style. Who does well against who, who can be counted on to upset the balance by beating the big yokozuna, all of these elements factor in to the grand tournaments held every other month.

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A Postcard – Teaching ESL in Japan

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Ryan Murdock

esl2.jpg 

The tortured sounds of the alphabet song drifted across the lobby for the fifth time that day. From the next room, rising above the muffled voices, I heard, “Teacher, what does it mean, ‘feces’?” I sighed and rubbed my eyes, fighting sleep.

“What is…. what is surprise?” Tomio, the pudgy bald Japanese salaryman sitting across from me, jiggled a leg beneath the table and looked up from his textbook. “I don’t know this word ‘surprise.’”

Without blinking an eye I nailed the table with my fist. Pens and pencils leaped to the floor. Tomio bleated like a startled sheep.

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Painted Maidens Aren’t Always What They Seem

Posted on April 20, 2009 by Ryan Murdock

Spring always reminds me of the years I spent in Japan. The damp chill of Tokyo winter gives way to gentle warmth. There’s a sense of optimism in the way people walk, and a smile hovers at the corners of every mouth. It’s a wonderful time to be alive.

In Japan, spring is also the season for festivals. Most celebrate nature, renewal, and transformation. Those may seem like innocent topics, but as every traveler knows, you sometimes get a little more than you bargained for.

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Posted in Asia, Travel stories | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments