I’m guessing that when most people think of Japan, Tokyo might first come to mind with its electrifying (no pun intended) vibe due to all the lights, technology, and people that fill the streets….Or perhaps they would also think of Nagano, host of the 1998 winter olympics…Or perhaps they wouldn’t know what to think because Japan is such an enigma in most foreigners’ minds. It is true that there are many cities similar to Tokyo and Sapporo – perhaps not as big, but similar in how the society operates on a day-to-day basis: While this is part of the truth of what makes Japan, it is not the entire truth. I learned this through experience in the last couple days. The majority of Japan is mountainous, forcing the majority of major cities to reside on the shores of the four main islands (Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido.) Perhaps this is a reason for why cities like Tokyo are so dense! While in Tokyo, Kyoto, and even Hiroshima, the only food I could really feed my image of Japan with was one of quasi-pandemonium (though not all parts of Tokyo and Kyoto are like this, especially with Kyoto.) It wasn’t till two days ago, Friday the 5th, that my image was redefined, as Cally and I set forth on a short train ride out of Hiroshima to the gorgeous island of Miyajima. By gorgeous, I mean this:
Dorthy ain't in Tokyo no more 
I’ll have to leave with this for now, because my internet connection at my current location in Nikko is getting to the point where it’d almost be faster for me to the server and put the photos on myself…But I wanted to at least update you. Once I reach Tokyo again, today, I’ll be sure and finish this post. For now, I hope everyone is well, and that the weather in Chicago warms up past 13 degrees F when I return 
Peace
