Coming to Japan

First published: July 30th 2013

After the JET Pre-Departure Orientation in London, there was only a period of one month or so before I would make my way to Japan. Naturally, I had a fair bit of stuff to do before then.

Following my trip to London, I (somehow) managed to fit in a very brief visit to Northern Ireland to visit my friend Gillian McRobert for a weekend, who I hadn't seen for a long time since she'd moved home from Scotland. Gillian was one of my best friends throughout university and my flat-mate for three years, so it was wonderful to be able to pop over and say farewell before leaving. It also marked my first ever visit to Northern Ireland and Belfast, which is one part of the UK I'd never been to. It was a lovely wee weekend and over all too quickly (for anyone interested, you can watch a little video of us playing a board game on my YouTube page here).

Banter in Larne and Belfast with Gillian

Very shortly afterwards, I was treated to an amazing farewell party, which followed my 23rd birthday party on a few weeks earlier in May. This farewell party was organised by Ashley Gourlay, a lovely girl who worked with my in Sainsbury's and was a regular listener to my radio show 'GavChat' throughout my days at Air3Radio at Stirling university (she had also previously set up a Facebook group in my honour which celebrated my excessive use of winks). I was absolutely stunned when my former work colleagues surprised me with a gift of a £100 note.

Leaving party fun.

£100 shock. An unbelievable moment.

Farewell party poster. Big thanks to Ashley Gourlay for organizing this.

On the week in which I was leaving, things were more hectic than usual. As the last video production during my time in the UK, I had been finishing off the edit of a wedding video I had filmed only a few weeks prior and had committed to before heading onto JET. Due to a number of technical issues with my PC at the time, I had struggled to get the edit finished due to numerous crashes. Thankfully, I managed to complete the edit to a high standard just in time, which was just as well, as I had to pack up my PC and ship it off to Japan. In actual fact, the DVD burning software also packed up, leaving me without software to make DVD copies of the video with. My good friend (and mentor) Lawrie Brewster was luckily able to help me burn the discs in time, which was incredibly appreciated.

Lawrie: a great friend who leaped to help in a time of need.

To keep my hand active with my video work, I was bringing several unfinished video projects with me to Japan, many of which I had filmed over the previous few months and would be able to edit and work on throughout my initial time in Japan (as I soon found out, of course, my schedule would make it very difficult to keep my hand in as much as I had hoped to).

On the recommendation of speakers from Miki Travel at the JET London Orientation, I opted to ship my goods to Japan using Yamato Transport Co. Ltd. This Japan-based shipping company managed to ship 50Kg of my goods to Japan with minimal hassle.

Yamato Transport Co. Ltd.

Two 25Kg crates were packed and shipped off to Japan, which included my desktop, monitor and keyboard (a heck of a load). As far as I'm aware, I'm one of the few JETs to ever ship a PC to Japan (which came via air-mail), so it was quite the accomplishment. Luckily it survived in one piece, though some of the internals had loosened and needed readjustment upon arrival. All manner of clothes, books, and utensils were chosen and left behind. Planning what I would need to have for at least the year ahead was not an easy call, and we found ourselves packing and repacking right up until the moment the van drove up to the house for collection.

Saying farewell to the Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy.

My family and I had planned plenty of farewell events to mark the occasion of my departure, but in many cases we simply ran out of time. Before we knew it, the time of my departure was upon us.

Edinburgh Airport.

Image from here.

On July 30th, I stepped on a plane at Edinburgh Airport and said farewell to my parents. There were tears aplenty, and in a way it was absolutely heartbreaking. I met many other JETs waiting to depart, and received my passport back from JET (now with Japanese Visa included). A group of my friends had come along with my family (including Stuart, and Graham and Kerry with their son Jay), and surprised me with a parting gift of cash - to be spent when I made my way back to Britain.

With hugs and tearful farewells, I had to force myself not to look back at the people I loved as I walked through to the departure lounge. I would be leaving Scotland for the longest period of time I ever had. Before long, I was travelling from Edinburgh to Heathrow, before finally making my way to Tokyo.

Pre-Depature: JET London Orientation

First published: July 8th 2013

Brunel University, London.

The venue of my JET Orientation event.

My first real experience with the JET programme was at the London Orientation for UK JETs in July 2011.

The event was held over two days on a Monday and a Tuesday, approximately one month before our departure for Japan. As the pre-departure event was held in the UK, I hadn't really considered the significance of it at the time, though in retrospect it was, of course, the prologue to this ongoing story. For me, the event was more significant for the fact that I had never been to London before, and I was excited to be able to use the opportunity to spend some time exploring England and the UK's capital city. I also never took any photographs at the orientation event, yet plenty while visiting the city of London itself.

London! My first ever visit, despite living in the UK all my life.

Image from here.

Of course, there was some nerve-wracking initial interaction when I went for my interview at the Japanese Consulate in Edinburgh. At that time, though, I was merely an applicant for the JET programme, and not a fully registered JET. This was my first real interaction with the programme as a cemented, confirmed new JET participant. It's significance really can't be underplayed.

I arrived in London by train on a Sunday, staying with my cousins and assorted family who live down there. After a very-quick first day in and around their neighborhood in the Greater London area, I awoke early the next day to try and use the London train service and underground to navigate my way to Brunel University, where the orientation event would be held. Naturally, as someone who had never been to London before, this was somewhat intimidating given the reputation (though in actual fact, a nice precursor to the train navigation systems that are so prevalent across Japan). Luckily, with some luck and the assistance of a fellow JET I ran into on the way, we managed to make it.

Scary.

Brunel University is in Uxbridge, which is fairly meaningless to me (as someone clueless to London navigation) but certainly at least a wee bit away from the city centre. Regardless, a massive flow of mostly young-graduates in their early-20s were heading en masse in one direction. Despite initially getting slightly lost and entering through a car park area, we made our way to the front entrance in plenty time, where hundreds of people stood at the main entrance waiting to be admitted. It's also worth noting that all of us - myself included - were wearing formal wear for the event. Suit jackets and ties were the status quo, and with the rabble of folk trying to get in, it perhaps looked a bit more like Wall Street than a university campus.

It was at this point where I met Alasdair Adams. A fellow Scotsman and friend of a mutual friend at university, I had known Alasdair would also be coming on JET, but this was the first time to meet him in the flesh. The two of us quickly became acquainted, and after signing in, we made our way to get our accomodation sorted out. Checking into the halls of residence, I had countless flashbacks to university. The rooms were just like those I had lived in during my time at the University of Stirling. It felt just like being back at uni again.

One of the more nerve-wracking experiences of the whole orientation was handing over our passports at the start of the first day. This was necessary in order to have a Japanese Visa added to the pages, which were organised en masse for all the UK JETs collectively. The practical reason for this was clear, but I've never been comfortable handing over my passport to anyone. Luckily, I can confirm that it was handed back to me - safe and sound, complete with Visa - on the day of departure for Tokyo.

UK JET lectures at Brunel University. This photo is actually from 2012.

Image from here.

Once all of the admin was sorted out, the days proceeded as would be expected. The first day mostly consisted of lectures and a series of workshops. Most of the lectures revolved around necessary information such as life in Japan, Japan/UK relations, Japanese law, etc. It was quite unique to hear it direct from the source, of course. One particularly memorable set of videos focussed on how the UK Home Office couldn't do much to help you out if you broke the law in Japan, and that you would be susceptible to Japanese law. I would have thought that would have been fairly obvious, to be honest. More practical discussions about money, what to bring to Japan, and how to import goods, etc. were very useful. A few life stories of former JETs were also on display. There were also workshops that discussed basic teaching practice and introductory courses to Japanese at different skill levels. Being a novice, of course, I took the beginner classes. These Japanese classes took up the majority of the second day at the orientation.

First Japanese language classes in London!

Not my own group, though several friends of mine are present..

Of course, breakfast and lunch were provided - which I was very happy about! While I can't recall if we were given breakfast on the first day (I don't think we were), I can recall that the meals we were given were very good indeed. The food hall at Brunel University was pretty big, so finding a seat was something of a challenge. The food was pretty damn good, though.

It was at lunch on the first day that Alasdair and I met another friend, Michael Upsher, who would go on to form a trio of sorts with us to travel across Japan together (mostly to Osaka). We got to know each other fairly well very quickly, as well as making friends with a group of many others (many of whom we sadly lost touch with after arriving in Japan).

The two days were also an opportunity to make our initial introductions to other JETs who would be going to our respective prefectures. Unfortunately, our first real interactions took place in the language classes, so it was difficult to really get to know one another at this stage. It's strange to think about meeting these people for the first time now, knowing them better so much later. Certainly a few faces - who will go unnamed - seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all!

The evening of the first night was defined by socialising. After the lectures and workshops had finished for the day, most new JETs made their way into the nearby town for dinner and a drink at the local pub. It was mostly an innocuous evening; most JETs probably didn't want to put any feet wrong at this stage of the game.   I had dinner in a nice local restaurant with about ten other new JETs, while we discussed the day's events, our various motivations for going to Japan and our expectations. It was a relaxing, welcoming experience without too much alcohol to speak of. Very relaxed.

Uxbridge by night. Image from here.

After the conclusion of the second day, things were somewhat different. In addition to packing up our things at Brunel University, we would be attending a drinks reception at the Japanese Embassy in London. Cue hundreds of suit-wearing young graduates making their way on the busy London Underground in peak transit time towards Piccadilly. Not the easiest of passages, to be sure.

The Embassy of Japan in London.

Image from here.

Getting off at Green Park, we dropped our backs at the embassy reception and enjoyed a few finger bites and wine with a consortium of Japanese ambassadors and former UK JETs. Very pleasant. This provided me with the first real opportunity to interact freely with (fairly important) Japanese speakers. I quickly learned I would have to work hard to suppress my Scottish accent to be understood; a speaking habit I've had to adapt to throughout my time in Japan.

The JET reception at the Japanese Embassy, 2011.

Image from here.

Following the reception, most JETs made their way into the nearby bars to enjoy more drinks in the early evening. I only stayed briefly, as I had made plans to meet another friend in London that evening. I collected a few e-mails and contact numbers of newly-made friends, and left the orientation experience behind. Luckily, I had a day of exploring London ahead of me - something I thoroughly enjoyed on Wednesday.

The orientation period wasn't quite settled yet, though. The Scottish JETs were also invited to a drinks reception on Thursday evening back at the Consul-General Masataka Takahara's private residence in Edinburgh, which meant a fairly swift transition back to Scotland. After only a brief day spent with my family, I made the train ride back up to Scotland and - only a few hours later - found myself at another drinks reception with many of the faces I'd come to know only a couple of days prior. The event was similar to the previous one, but with a much more personal touch with less people and more informal discussion. There were only around 20 or so JETs coming from Scotland that year, so it was much easier to talk to friends and make connections. One interesting note was that the Consul-General sang to us as part of the evening's entertainment. He had a pretty good voice! I'd say I probably enjoyed this evening more for the sense of intimacy it provided. I was also provided by a small badge by a representative of the Scottish Government with both the Japanese and Scottish flags included.

Nice.

All in all, the Pre-Departure Orientation was certainly a pleasant introduction to life on the JET Programme. I would emphasize the word "introduction", though. It's more or less a formal introduction on what to expect when arriving, rather than any formal training. There are very basic introductions to basic teaching methods and, for beginners, a helpful introduction to Japanese. Otherwise, though, this won't prepare you for teaching in Japan, and I would advise going on the JET programme to do their own course of study on both teaching methods (such as through TEFL, which I have previously recommended) and Japanese language. The more information you go in with, the more secure you'll feel.

Of course, with this behind me, the next stop was Japan itself.

Applying for the JET Programme

First published: July 30th 2013

For anyone interested in applying to the JET programme, particularly for those in Scotland and the rest of the UK, I hope the following blog post gives some helpful insight into the application process from my own experiences.

Introduction to the JET Programme

I first heard about the JET Programme while at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

Representatives for JET popped over to our campus to introduce the programme, talk about what it offered and encourage participation amongst the students. At the time, I was unable to attend the presentation, but the idea strongly appealed to me: an opportunity to teach English in Japan? It sounded too good to be true. A few of my friends attended the lecture and passes information back to me, and I started to do my own research online. I still had a long way to go before finishing my course, and so, I put the idea at the back of my mind until I was approaching graduation.

The University of Stirling, Scotland.

In my final year of university (from 2009-2010), with graduation only a few months away and spending many evenings researching opportunities, I looked into the JET programme more thoroughly again. I had originally thought of applying in time to start on JET immediately following university, though I soon discovered the application process was an annual one, with applicanats for the next year needing to apply a couple of months prior to my investigation. As such, it would be at least another year before I would be able to get onto the programme.

Accordingly, after leaving university, I spent the next few months continuing in my part-time job at Sainsbury's while developing my film projects and networking with other filmmakers in Scotland and the UK. My focus was always on developing my long-term video production work, and I started to build momentum in doing a lot of freelance work while developing my own films, passionately pursuing film production as my primary focus.

The 10% staff discount was pretty good.

Of course, when the new application process for JET launched a few months later - for those looking to start in the summer the 2011 - I leaped at the chance.

There were, of course, certain difficulties in pursuing JET. First, I was starting to make some headway with my video work, and JET would obviously put a halt to that. The progress and momentum I had been building at home would mostly need to be suspended until I returned. On the flipside, of course, was the fact that I had dreamed of working in Japan since I was a child. It was a lifelong ambition, and an opportunity like this was simply too good not to apply for.

The Application Form

A page from the 2011 JET application form.

If I can recall correctly, the application form first became available for download sometime around October 2011. It needed to be completed for the end of November.

The application form, it must be said, was very lengthy. It took a long time and a lot of work to complete, and anyone applying to JET would do well to begin filling it in as soon as it becomes available online for download. Rather than simply requiring questions to be answered, I needed a copy of my degree (with an official list of my courses taken), two written references, a medical sign-off from my doctor saying I was both physically and mentally healthy for the work I was applying for, a UK passport, and even a report from the police. These requirements may have changed since 2011, but as you can see, there's a fair amount of material required here, and it's not something you can simply try and do the night before.

In addition, four copies of the application need to be sent simultaneously. You'll need to get yourself a big envelope. Luckily, I acquired all of these with minimal fuss, though it did take a fair amount of time. Anyone looking to apply should make sure they have as much of these ready as possible. The full list of requirements can be found on the UK JET website here, where you'll also be able to apply for the programme if that's what you're interested in doing.

The biggest challenge I had in completing the application was created by the weather. On the day of my medical appointment to be signed off my my GP, there was a heavy snowstorm which filled the streets with a foot of snow and coated the roads in impassable ice. My appointment was in the late afternoon, and it became clear as the day continued that I wouldn't be able to drive as I had planned. There wasn't enough time to reschedule the appointment within the application timetable, and so I opted to make my way through the Winter conditions no matter what stood in the way.

My hometown of Kirkcaldy in the snow.

Image from here.

Having been working until just after lunch time, and I only had a limited amount of time to make my way through the blizzard to the town centre; a walk which would have normally taken an hour. Putting on my best winter gear, I rushed out into the snow with my necessary forms well-sealed and protected. I trudged with heavy snow and wind blasting against my face, all the way to the town centre, racing there within around half an hour. I arrived in time for my appointment, shivering somewhat but thankfully present. It was worth it for the sign-off, and I happily completed the application comfortably.

I was also subsequently concerned that the bad weather may have affected the application form from arriving in time due to potential postage delays caused by the bad weather, but thankfully this wasn't an issue and the application arrived in time.

Following the application process, there was nothing I could do except wait.

The Interview

The Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh.

Image from Flickr (sorry!).

In February 2011, I was set for an interview at the JET programme at the Consul-General of Japan in Edinburgh. The building is very close to Princes Street, and within reasonable walking distance from Waverley station, though my mother had been kind enough to other me a lift that day.

The wait to find out about whether my application was through to the next stage or not was quite nerve-wracking. In the meantime, I had worked on a few other film projects and been up to a fair amount of stuff (including working on Lawrie Brewster's feature film White Out). At long last, here I was at the interview stage, and I was thrilled to be there, though not without a little nerves. In preparation, I had been practicing a few elementary phrases in Japanese and exposing myself to more Japanese language. I had been surrounding myself for years with Japanese literature, culture, books and films: now I was studying to apply that knowledge. I went looking at Japanese current affairs and did my best to show how keen my interest in Japan actually was.

Arriving at the consulate, a few other potential JETs were also in waiting. Wearing suit and tie attire, many of them were visibly nervous. I mentally prepared myself for the interview; I really wasn't sure quite what to expect, but I was determined to make a good impression.

Before the interview began, I was presented with a small language test to check my basic understanding of English grammar. Following this, I found myself lead into a small room to conduct the interview. Entering through the door, I gave a warm "Hajimemashite" ("Pleased to meet you") to the interviewer who opened the door for me. He smiled, and immediately I felt much more at ease.

My interview as conducted primarily by a man with a strong Irish accent, flanked on both sides by two Japanese men. I sat opposite them, and proceeded to answer all manner of questions about myself, my interests, my knowledge of Japan and my previous teaching experience. One possibly regrettable moment occurred when I was asked how I would deal with shier students, to which I responded; "Well, I wont give them Gale-Force Gav." Perhaps not the best time to pull out a name-based pun, but it seemed to go down well.

I did my best to maintain a friendly manner, express confidence, and speak very clearly. I have been told on good authority that accents are thoroughly scrutinized, and those who speak with too heavy an accent may be rejected on the grounds that Japanese students may not understand them. Within twenty minutes or so, and feeling like the interview was going very well, the interview was concluded. I thanked the interviewers with an "Arigatou gozaimashita" ("Thank you very much"), and went on my way.

Overall, it felt like the interview had gone remarkably better than I'd hoped. Of course, there was no way to tell whether I'd get the job. Waiting for my mother, I made my way to one of my favourite coffee haunts in Edinburgh that happened to be nearby; the Film House, a cinema where I'd spent many a night during film festivals. Treating myself to one of their coffees and a cake in the cafe, I found myself once again waiting, but feeling good.

The Edinburgh Film House cafe bar.

Image from here.

The Offer

Sometime between late March and early April, a brown envelope arrived from the JET programme, containing the result of my interview.

It had been a busy time between the interview and the arrival of this letter. In that time, I had only just returned from England following three weeks of working on an independent film project, and the news of the Tohoku earthquake on March 11th had struck me deeply. Japan had been hit by a devastating disaster and was recovering from heavy losses of life. Many had asked if this made me want to reconsider my place in coming to Japan, especially with scare stories about nuclear radiation filling the press daily. Instead, my resolve was certain. If anything, it made my desire to go to Japan stronger.

Devastating images of the Tohoku earthquake certainly struck an emotional core.

Many assumed I would be having second thoughts about going to Japan after this.

On the day the letter arrived (a day off work), I had been sleeping in when my mother woke me up to tell me the mail had arrived. Waking up sharply, she asked if I wanted to open it myself, or if she would do it to avert any nerves. I asked her to do it, which she duly did. Thankfully, the letter said what I hoped it would.

I had been accepted.

Here I was, at last, finally being offered a job in Japan and making a lifelong dream possible. It was a strange sensation, and I remember my reaction feeling surprisingly muted at the time. I felt all manner of emotions, but I was immensely proud of my achievement and tremendously excited. There was sadness, of course, in knowing that I would soon have to give up on the progress I had made with my video and media work for the forseeable future. It was a heavy loss, but a necessary one. This opportunity felt like a once-in-a-lifetime deal, and I knew I had to take it.

The letter came with an offer for the job. Seeing the paper in front of me which would drastically alter the course of my life, I felt a sense of trepidation and nerves. Not only would I be suspending the progress of what I had been working on, I would be leaving behind my friends and family for the longest period of time I had even done, living in a society with a language I could barely speak.

Regardless, I happily accepted. My family was absolutely thrilled, as were my friends, and I knew I had just taken the first step in beginning a whole new chapter in my life.

I would be going to Japan.

A dream come true.

Image from here.

My Film Work

First published: 13 Oct 2011

For those of you who don't know, you can follow my film blog here at; http://gavinhughfilm.blogspot.jp

As an independent filmmaker in my free time, this is where I discuss my ongoing film projects. Please take a look and (hopefully) enjoy.

Here's a preview of some of the projects I've directed and worked on.

Fatal Attractions.

Random Text.

Turnip Head.

The Morning After.

You can also follow my Twitter feed; @Gavros88

A little bit about me...

First published: 14 Oct 2011

So... who am I?

I haven't properly introduced myself here yet. As such, let me tell you a little bit about myself.

Me (aged 18) wearing a kilt. I'm a proud Scotsman, after all!

My name is Gavin Hugh. At the time of writing, I'm 23 years old, with a BA (Hons) in 'English & Film and Media' from Stirling University. Born and raised in Kirkcaldy on the East Coast of Scotland.

 Och aye...

My interests include films, classic literature, video-games, and creative writing (and Facebook, obviously!). My favourite sports are football, golf, badminton and tennis. I'm currently single, and I try to go to the gym at least twice a week... but it's hard to keep up, what with the crazy demands of being a teacher in Japan!

I fulfil the stereotypical requirements of a Scotsman: I love drinking in pubs; I'm proud of my local football team - the Raith Rovers; and I have a constant craving for haggis. I have a lot of fantastic and amazing friends that I love - far too many of them to list here. I'm an atheist, and I also have a pet cat called Smudge (though sadly, she's had to stay in Scotland with my parents).

The thing I miss most about home...

My real passion, though, is filmmaking. As I mentioned in the post before this one, you can find all the information on my ongoing film projects on my Tumblr page at; gavros88.tumblr.com

Edit: I no longer use my Tumblr page for film updates. Please check out my Film Blog at http://gavinhughfilm.blogspot.jp/.

 

My true, undying love.

So, that's just a little bit about me, to help you all get to know me a little better. I reckon I'm a nice enough guy (or at least I try to be). Hopefully I wont offend too many of you!

And now, back to the subject of Japan...

PS. If you're interested, you can find out a little bit more about my hometown at this great website run by my friend Neil; About Kirkcaldy.com!

From Kirkcaldy to Kagawa

Years ago, back when I was just a wee boy, growing up on the East coast of Scotland, I began to fall in love with Japan.

Those were simpler days. Puberty hadn't quite hit yet, and my weekends were filled with high-pitched squealing, running around the local play parks, and of course... video-games. For me, specifically, the Sega Mega Drive and the Sonic the Hedgehog games. As I approached my teenage years, upgrades to the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation only furthered my addiction. The new games came pouring in; Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Ridge Racer and so many others... Like so many others, this was my first experience of Japan: it's exported media.

How I always tried to look during my years in high school. Of course, it never quite worked out that way... My hair could never stay this straight for long.

As I grew into teenager years (with all of the hormones and introversion normally attached to those experiences), an affection for manga and anime began to take hold, too - Gundam Wing, Outlaw Star, Dragonball Z, and (my personal favourite) Tenchi Muyo. Sure, it's a skewed perspective of Japanese culture, but what matters is the hunger it gave me to see the rest of Japan. A thirst for more.

I began to research more of Japanese culture - not just it's pop culture - and discovered a fascinating history and a wonderful nation. Growing my own bonsai, watching Japanese cinema, and learning of the tea ceremony, samurai and bushido... And the television adverts! Of course, the games and the anime stuck around, but there were so many fascinating elements to this wonderful Asian country. In my fifth year of high school, I even did an art portfolio based on Japanese designs and floral patterns.

A prototype drawing of a Japanese lampshade I made for an art project in S5.

As such, my lifelong love affair with Japan carried on throughout my teenage years and into my adult life. It would prove to never go away.

Flash foward to 2010...

I applied for the JET Programme in November 2010, and was absolutely psyched for it. I'd missed the boat for the previous year, after looking into applying for it during my final year at Stirling University (by the time I looked into applying, applications had already closed!). In 2010, I made sure I didn't make the same mistake twice. The application process was a long and gruelling one, and involved several months of waiting. When I received confirmation of my interview, and the subsequent waiting that took place after it... well, it was a tense period. I wanted to finally see this fascinating country I'd loved from afar for the first time; to have an opportunity to live and work there and enjoy soaking up the cultural differences.

Of course, eventually the confirmation came. I had the job. I was to become an Assistant Language Teacher in Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa-ken, on Shikoku in the South of Japan.

And here I am.

My beautiful new home in Takamatsu-Shi, Kagawa-Ken.

The purpose of this blog will be to tell you all about my adventures in Japan. I don't intend to be here forever - I'm a boy from Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and at heart I always will be. While I'm here, though, I want to share my experiences with you.

As you can see, I'm settling in well...

Japan is such a beautiful and amazing country that I feel priviliged to be here. I hope this blog, my stories and my pictures helps to capture some of the love, wonder and fascination I feel being here, and to share it with you.

Thanks for reading.

Me at the view from mount Yashima, watching the stunning sunset over Takamatsu City and the Seito Inland Sea.