I was rereading Audrey’s post about traveling in Japan, and it got me thinking about the wonderful experiences that I had living in Shizuoka and traveling around the country. I first moved to Japan as a participant on the JET Program and ended up staying for a little over six years. It’s been over a decade since I’ve returned to the U.S., but I still have moments of “home” sickness for my Japan home. Although I have not visited every country in the world, it would be difficult to improve on the Japanese celebrations, appreciation of our natural world, and the emphasis on art in every aspect of life.
I’m sharing the articles that I wrote after returning from Japan. (Japan Visitor is an excellent online guide for visiting and living in Japan.) I recommend starting with “Underwear Theft” and then reading a few of the others listed at the bottom of the page:
Having Surgery in Japan
Tanabata Star Festival
Iwakuni Castle
Kamikochi Hiking Guide
Oze National Park Guide
Japanese Weddings
Match-making
Purikura
You’ll get a glimpse of why after 10 years, someone might still miss living in a culture so different from her native culture. And if you’re planning a trip, a recently accepted participant on the JET Program, or just into everything Japanese, these are the best Japanese Language Dictionaries that I used during my six-year stay and recommend:
The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary: Revised and Expanded
Kodansha’s Furigana English-Japanese Dictionary
Kodansha’s Furigana Japanese-English Dictionary (Kodansha Dictionaries)
On the Trails with Kenobi 
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