Several weeks ago I experienced a first forest bath in one of the 62 certified forest therapy bases in Japan. You can read and see photographs in this blog: Forest therapy Taking Root. What I […]
Category: Japanese stories
Forest Therapy Taking Root
Our hectic society gives us little or no rest, so we often get overworked and overtired. Since the 21st century, forest therapy has been prescribed as a medicine for city dwellers to deal with stress […]
Nakansendo’s whispers – or different interpretations of Silence
“The entire kisoji is in the mountains” was the first sentence of the famous Japanese novel “Before the dawn” by Toson Shimazaki. The best way to explore the Kiso region of Japan, with its stunning […]
Okinawa: from its longevity secrets to mischievous tree trolls
Some weeks ago I visited Okinawa, the subtropical island of Japan which is famous to count the most centenarians per capita in whole the world. Why do people get so old? – the diet I […]
Become Line friends with Japanese camphor trees
Today I stumbled upon a hiking video about Mt. Tachibana in the area of Fukuoka, one of the biggest cities in Japan. The hiker highlights camphors and shows shots of tags with QR codes. The comments […]
“Holly” Devil, it’s Spring again!
Two weeks ago my young brother arrived in Japan. That weekend, he and I got treated on a traditional 9(!) course in an old restaurant in the countryside in Japan. Every dish was symbolic. I […]
Vitamin Ginkgo for your November Depression
Some weeks ago I suffered a November depression or Autumn Flu, which happens to many people who live in countries with four seasons, like the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan, when days become darker. Also other friends […]
Is the feminization of tea culture leading to the loss of the zen-spirit?
These are extracts of my bimonthly newsletter I write to friends and family over the whole world. Last week I wrote about tea, because it is really becoming my cup of tea. (Did you see […]
DIY Forest Therapy 森林浴
Living in Nagoya has some benefits. There are a lot of shrine parks, and Japan is also for 70 percent forest. Even I live in the middle of one of the biggest cities in Japan, […]
How the Search for Tree Spirits Started
Thanks for joining me! Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton