Iain Maloney's Posts

  • The Red Devils of Hikone
    August 26th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    Hikone Castle was built at the end of the civil war period by Naotaka Ii. It stands high on a hill, the focal point of the town, and has done so, untouched by war, natural disaster and attempts to modernise for over 400 years. It looks much like other castles in Japan: ivory white walls, » Continue Reading
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  • Himeji Castle
    August 5th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    Himeji Castle was probably the first part of Japan I ever saw. I don’t remember it happening but I’ve been watching Bond films all my life, and You Only Live Twice is on UK television a couple of times a year without fail. In the film, for those who haven’t seen it, Bond follows the » Continue Reading
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  • Higashiyama Zoo
    June 19th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    I am ambivalent towards zoos. Part of me – the inquisitive, endlessly fascinated side – loves zoos. Seeing these creatures up close and personal, watching them move, eat and sleep at a proximity I could never experience in the wild is wondrous. Stop for a second and think about what it » Continue Reading
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  • Magome and Tsumago: Following the Footsteps
    June 10th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    All roads led to Tokyo. Anyone who has travelled in Japan will have heard of the Tokaido, even if they didn’t know the significance of the word. The eastern sea road ran between the Emperor’s court in Kyoto and the Shogun’s capital in Edo (Tokyo). Now it’s the name given to » Continue Reading
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  • Hiroshima
    June 2nd, 2009By Iain Maloney
    I can remember the exact moment I learned about Hiroshima. I was in Primary 7, eleven years old, and we were studying World War II (the British version). In the textbook were pictures of the observatory after the blast, the silhouetted rib cage surrounded by rubble. On the opposite page was » Continue Reading
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  • Boats and Birds on the Kisogawa
    May 20th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    The Kiso river is often called the Nihon Rhine after its resemblance to the Rhine in Germany, but it was a major focal point of life in Chubu long before anyone had ever heard of Europe. Although still vital for industry, around Inuyama the river’s primary function is now that of » Continue Reading
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  • Yoro Park and the Site of Reversible Destiny
    May 12th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    At the western edge of Gifu Prefecture, resting between the mountains and Ibigawa river lies Yoro, a daytrip idyll. Gifu can be short of ideas for those with children during the warmer months, but Yoro provides an inexpensive, varied and fun day for all. Yoro park has grown around Yoro Falls, » Continue Reading
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  • Okazaki
    April 14th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    For the Nagoya day-tripper, Okazaki makes for an effortless and engaging change of scene. Less than 30 minutes from Nagoya station on the Meitetsu line, Okazaki is renowned for being the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, first Shogun of the Edo period (1603 – 1868). As with many places in Japan, a » Continue Reading
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  • Nagoya Live Houses
    April 8th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    For too many people, Nagoya is simply a station between Tokyo and Kyoto, offering little of interest. In addition to the tourist attractions I have written about elsewhere on this site, Nagoya also has a thriving music scene, some characterful live houses and some truly magnificent local bands. Ignored by the » Continue Reading
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  • Meiji Mura and Showa Mura
    March 11th, 2009By Iain Maloney
    The Meiji era ran from 1968 to 1912, and all aspects of Japanese culture underwent fundamental change as Japan opened its ports to the outside world. Architecture is one area in which this shift is most obviously seen, as tastes moved from the traditional wooden structures to embrace western styles and » Continue Reading
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