London/ The Beginning

 

Lush green fields and tiny cottages gave way to concrete and housing estates as the train neared central London. The sky was overcast and the soft dim light flattened out the horizon so everything out my window took on a painterly quality. The same questions I thought about when I landed in Tokyo came to me again. What would London teach me? How would I grow here? Who was I going to meet? However, unlike Tokyo, I had much less anxiety over them. I was more willing to cede to the Universe and trust that things would work out in the end. 

I transferred to the Victoria line and made my way to Brixton to stay with some friends. Part of what would make London a different experience was the community that I had built into the landscape of the city. The only thing I had to search for was housing and so my first 5 days were spent shuttling from South London to East London to attend roommate interviews. During those brief interactions, I could feel the potential in every living space. While Tokyo was a journey inward I could tell that London would be the beginnings of a more external journey.

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The place I fell in love with was an artist warehouse near Seven Sisters tube station. Despite the lack of good ventilation and two bathrooms for 10 people, I was sold on the idea of living in an artist community. It was all I dreamed about and the chance that it might have come true was something that I wasn't going to give up. Sadly at the last minute, my housing fell through and I scrambled to find a last minute place. I reached out to the very first place that I looked at and by the grace of God was able to secure the room. 

 

As I settled into my new routine in London I realized that I was way to hard on myself about my time in Japan. I thought it was an all or nothing event. That my first time living abroad on my own had to be perfect or it would be a complete failure. What I didn't realize until a couple weeks into my time in London was that Japan was just the first stop of many. The knowledge I would gain from all those events and experiences would compound over time to make me the best version of myself that I could be.

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Sandbox Global Summit/ Croatia

 

As the tiny propeller plane landed a little before midnight in Zadar, Croatia, I leapt out of my middle seat eager to deplane. My travel luck had finally run its course. I wasn't able to fly directly from Japan to Croatia for anything less than one thousand dollars so I had to fly to London and then onto Croatia. On top of that, I was forced to sit next to a crying baby and then upon switching seats drunken British bro's who wouldn't stop ordering shots and being rude the entire flight. However, as soon as I got off the plane my luck started to change. Because I was in Croatia for my first Global Summit with an amazing group called Sandbox. 

Four years ago on a cold sprawling farmland, about 45 minutes south of Reykjavik is where I was first introduced to Sandbox. I was there because of Scott, one of my good friends and a member of Sandbox, was throwing a music festival called Saga Fest. The experience was magical despite battling frostbite, fires, and powerful thunderstorms with only a drafty tent to provide warmth and protection. I got a chance to listen to local Icelandic acts, have amazing conversations, and eat hamburgers made from beef farmed only 30 minutes away. The conversations was what really made the event special because I kept meeting people who were ready willing and able to have deep vulnerable conversations. Each individual struck me as being very driven, smart, authentic everything that I wanted to be but wasn't quite sure how to achieve. I woke up one morning in my tiny tent and I cried. Never did I think I would be in Iceland at a music festival hosted by a friend while I was attending Eastern High School in DC. Most of the people in attendance were apart of this community called Sandbox and I knew I had to join the local DC hub.

The Zadar airport was one of the tiniest that I had ever seen. Some of us were forced to stand outside because there wasn't enough room in the customs queue for everyone on the tiny propeller plane. A small group in front of me stood out from the party boys eager to continue drinking, the families preparing for their vacation, and the Croatians returning home. I wondered if they like me were heading to the summit. Before I could ask, one of them turned and asked me if I was in Sandbox. After a series of introductions we talked about our excitement for the upcoming event. They told me the Panama summit the previous year was amazing and that I was going to love every minute of my time in Croatia. Once we made it through customs these people that I had just met suggested that I stay with them in their Airbnb instead of waiting up all night for the AM bus to Sibenik.

We woke up the next morning and had some time before our bus. After realizing that Old Town Zadar was just down the street we decided to walk and take a look. A number of delectable pastry shops caught our eye as we walked and with no will to hold us back we dove in to taste some of these goodies. With paper bags full of flour, meat, and cheese we headed towards the Old Town. We stopped at the small bridge that connects downtown Zadar with the Old town and ate our breakfast.  After we finished we walked across the bridge to get a closer look and were greeted with narrow streets and large squares. All the buildings had a similar dusty brown color and the bricks showed signs of age that gave the impression of charm rather than neglect. 

The bus ride to Sibenik was quick but we got to see and learn so much about the Croatian coastline. Beautiful houses sat right on the water and tiny towns brimming with life zoomed past us as the bus brought us closer to our island adventure. Once we arrived in Sibenik we ate at an amazing little bistro called SHE  which served local and vegan/vegetarian food options. I also got to try some Croatian craft beer which was so delicious. As more people started to gather I watched them great each other like family. Since I was so new I felt sort of isolated because I didn't have the same history with these people.

The boat which took us to the island of Obonjan barely fit all of us and our luggage, I had to move deftly around to capture pictures of the sea and islands as the boat piloted through them. The reunions and conversations continued and I knew I had to push myself. After everything I learned in Tokyo, I couldn't return to my old ways. I forced myself to talk to people and was greeted with such warmth and genuine curiosity, that were the hallmarks of this summit.  

The island of Obonjan was paradise for the week and some change that I spent on it. I had no idea that Croatia was such a beautiful country. As people from all around the world gathered on this tiny island I wondered why the rest of the world couldn't be like this. Why couldn't we be radically open with one another and skip the small talk? In DC I was so used to these invisible barriers between people that stop real connections and conversations from taking place. To exist in a place where those barriers fell away made me never want to leave the island.  

But sadly all good things must come to an end, and during the midnight dance party, I pulled my luggage aboard a tiny vessel. The music that once pulsed through my veins started to get fainter and fainter as we headed to shore until the only sound was the wind whipping around us. The tiny airport in Split was empty when the cab dropped us off. I had three flights ahead of me before I could rest comfortably in a bed but none of that mattered. I was still high from the retreat and all the magic that it contained. 

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Sayonara Japan

 

The quiet alleyway that housed my bedroom in Shinjuku had more vending machines then it had corners to put them on. It was one of those quirks that could only occur in Japan. Another quirk was how they listed the room sizes online by tatami mats. What size was a tatami mat? I had no idea what a room that was "6 tatami mats" in size would look like. Would three suitcases of clothes fit in 6 tatami mats? I didn't have that cultural reference but I checked out the room anyway. It was big enough for a bed, desk, and couch as well as all my clothes, I spent 3 months in that room as birds chirped and rain fell, I couldn't believe so much time had passed. As I was packing up to leave I grabbed my red travel journal and flipped to the first entry after I landed. Two questions jumped off the page "What am I going to find in Japan?" and "What kind of person would I be upon leaving?" I knew even then that coming to Japan was more than just eating ramen and exploring cultural sites and partying, it was also about exploring who I was and what I could become.

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While I was packing Sejan went on a morning walk around my neighborhood. Would Sejan notice the multitude of vending machines or the turtle mural above the car wash? Some details of the world only reveal themselves after you walk the same road multiple times. Like how different the street smells when the roasted sweet potatoes are outside the supermarket in the evenings. These are details the casual observer would ignore, details that aren't adventurous or instagrammable. But what I didn't realize until I arrived was that the pedestrian and average plays a big part in long-term travel. 

Exploring bamboo forests, getting lost in Yoyogi park, discovering cool thrift stores stand tall in the imagination but they make up such a small part of long-term travel. In truth, the "everyday reality" of travel is much more mundane but it is in those moments when you have to face yourself and whatever baggage you're carrying. For me, it was the feelings of loneliness and insecurity. I interrogated the mythologies I tell myself: Am I really outgoing? Am I really a good photographer? Can I really travel the world by myself? With nothing to distract me, I had to face them head-on. No more running away. I was afraid that If I answered them my insecurities would be true and I would have to change what I dreamed about. But when I looked back at what I had accomplished I realized I had so much power and strength. I pushed through and created art with local artists that inspired me. I fostered a community of friends that I could rely on for strength and support.  I survived the sadness, the insecurity, the days I didn't want to leave my room to have an amazing time. Turns out that by running away from these questions I was denying myself the truth of how amazing and talented I was. 

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The night before I left Tokyo I sat surrounded by friends both new and old at the bar of a tiny ramen restaurant in Shibuya. I loved ramen before I came but I developed a whole new appreciation for the art form after slurping countless bowls. I had left 3 months prior unsure of what would become of me. And in some ways, I'm still unsure. What I did foster was a deeper connection with my strengths and weaknesses. Turns out life is like making a bowl of ramen it's going to take a lifetime of repetition to make the perfect bowl. Japan was the hardest country to start my travels- the equivalent of skiing down a black diamond your first time on the slopes. As much as I hoped, knowing that didn't make it any easier. I learned to be kind to myself especially since Japan was just the first stop of many. It wasn't going to be perfect first time on the mountain. I can't let my expectations get in the way of my results. My travels around the world will be just as much about creating art and meeting new people as it is about healing. 

So Sayonara Japan, thank you for giving me space to fail and grow and cry and laugh and discover.  Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive.

 

Kanda Matsuri

 

I came to Tokyo without knowing anyone and yet as I hugged Alana and Laura I knew that I was saying goodbye to lifelong friends. This travel was all about trusting in the universe and as they made their way to the bus station I knew that the universe will provide me with the people I'm meant to meet on my journey. I had one final bite of an amazingly delcious matcha cheesecake before Sejan, and I went off to one of the biggest festivals in Tokyo- Kanda Matsuri. 

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The Kanda Myojin Shrine, which is the focal point for the festivities enshrines three different dieties: Daikokuten, Ebisu, and Taira Masakado.  The festival started during the 17th century as a way of honoring the prosperity of the Tokugawa Shogun. Portable shrines called, mikoshi, are paraded from their neighborhood of origin to the Kanda Myojin for a blessing before heading back. 

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The Mikoshi is carried by teams dressed in jackers that symbolize their neighborhood. Like most things in Japan, the process was extremely organized despite the sheer magnitude of the event. One by one the teams led by a leader would fill the street with their colorful jackets and their brightly adorned mikoshi chanting loudly. The mikoshi would bob up and down the entire team working in unison.  After watching a couple of neighborhoods stream by we dashed across the street to get a closer look inside the temple. 

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 The smell of grilled squid and takoyaki filled my nostrils and the sound of a flute like instrument paired with drums competed against the loud chants for my attention. No longer in the open air of the street, the energy rebounded off the walls and vibrated in my bones. We followed behind a group as they made their way into the center of the shrine. A large man appeared and did some kind of prayer as the people who carried the mikoshi took a rest. Once the short ceremony was over and the revelers returned to their neighborhoods a brief calm took over the floor. However, shortly after they left I could hear the sharp claps of the wood blocks as another team from a different neighborhood came to take part in this ceremony. A smile broke across my face, thankful for my ability to experience different traditions and to share this with one of my oldest friends. 

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Kinkaku-ji & Ginkaku-ji

 

Nervously, a pair of girls in matching plaid skirts and white shirts came up to me with a piece of crumpled paper in one hand and a pencil in another. They expressed they were at Ginkaku-ji, The Silver Pavillion, for a school project to interview tourists about Japan. I now understood why the gaggle of children had been starring at me since my arrival. They had been working up the courage to interview me. When I responded to their first question in Japanese their faces lit up. After they finished their questions we posed for the photo below.  

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After the photo Sejan and I made our way out of the pavillion grounds and headed off to get some food. Satisfied and exhausted from our final day of exploration around Kyoto. After returning from Nara we only had one full day before we caught the night bus back to Tokyo. We decided to check out the sibling pavillions of Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. 

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Turned into a Zen temple after the death of the wealthy Shogun that bought it, Kinkaku-ji (  The Gold Pavillion) might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It stands solitary on a lake. A reminder that pure beauty is sometimes best presented without distraction. The top two floors of this pavillion are covered in gold leaf and when the midday sun illuminates this pavillion the entire grounds take on a warm golden glow.  Despite not arriving till after noon the crowds of tourists didn't impede our photographic pursuits. Kinkaku-ji does not take a long time to explore, the pavillion on the lake is the main attraction so afterward we caught the bus to Ginkaku-ji.

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Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavillion), was built by the grandson of the Shogun who created Kinkaku-ji. The architecture of the former was used as inspiration when creating Ginkaku-ji. The grounds of The Silver Pavillion are a lot grander than the Gold. Perhaps because the pavillion itself is unremarkable. My favorite part of this complex was the Sea of Silver Sand a gorgeous dry sand garden. The photo above is of the Moon Viewing Platform the main attraction of the sand garden. 

The rest of Ginkaku-ji has been beautifully landscaped to take advantage of the rocky terrain and sharp changes in elevation of the grounds. With large trees and rocks placed around pools populated by fish. This pavillion could double as a garden. After hiking up Fushimi Inari and dashing across the city this was the perfect peaceful end to our trip to Kyoto. 

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Nara

 

Nara's main ingredients are deer, history, and temples. After thousands of years of close contact, because deer are regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, the deer have developed a familiarity with humans that I have never seen before. The deer in Nara are famous because if you bow at them they will return the gesture in exchange for crackers. I thought it was such a lovely idea. A city full of deer. And for the first couple hours it was.

Nara was Japan's first permanent capitol and the Nara period lasted from 710-794. While debates rage in the linguistic community as to the origin and meaning of the name Nara, one thing that is certain is that if you go to Kyoto, Nara makes for a perfect day trip.

 

The market stalls around the station were the smallest I've seen yet. The prices have steadily fallen since Tokyo, skin masks that were previously 1000 yen were now 700 yen. Out first stop was Toda-ji Temple, Eastern Great Temple, one of the 7 great temples located in Nara.  Deer roam the grounds of this ancient site and as we entered the first gate to head to the Great Buddha Hall seen in the photos above my take on the abundance of deer in the city changed. A pair of school children were feeding a deer when it abruptly started peeing right in front of them. I turned around to get away from the sight only to see a deer pooping a couple feet away. The Buddha in Toda-ji Temple is the largest bronze buddha in the world. It is the representation of Vairocana, the celestial buddha, an embodiment of the concept of emptiness. 

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My favorite statue in the temple was not the grand Buddha, but this wooden statue I came across after exiting the temple. The statue is of Binzuru, also known as Pindola Bharadvaja, one of Buddha's disciples. According to custom if you rub a part of Binzuru and then that same spot on your own body your ailment will disappear. We exited the temple grounds and were about to cross the street when some deer ambled across ignorant of the red lights and the drivers hoping to continue on their daily commute. I looked around the city, a large park to my right, the temple behind me and suddenly I started to realize that the entire city smelled like shit and pee. I wasn't sure how I never noticed it before but the scent was pervasive.   

Our next stop on our Nara tour was the Harushika Sake Brewery. The origins of sake are hard to trace but most sources place the first recordings of it during the Nara period. At this brewery you can taste 5 different sakes for 500 yen which is less then $5, as well you get a cute little souvenir sake glass that I brought back as a gift for my father. While I gained a lot of knowledge during my time at the Craft Sake Fair, I got to try a couple sakes that I've never tried before like the Daiginjo Shiromiki, which is sake that's only partially filtered so there's still rice sediment and it was a little fizzy. Sejan and I left the brewery with a take away bottle that we drunk as we made our way to another one of Nara's hidden gems. 

Maguro Koya, is the perfect way to soak up the alcohol from the sake tasting at Hiroshika. Its a tiny restaurant that was filled with locals and the only thing it serves is tuna. I got tuna three different ways. I had a delicious raw tuna steaks, then shredded tuna over a bowl of rice, and then fried tuna cakes. Before I came to Japan I definitely would have stated that my favorite fish was salmon. Tuna to me always used to invoke a squat can filled with a mysterious liquid and an even stranger meat. But I have been blown away with the subtlety of flavor that tuna provides. Now I've seen the light.

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The end to Sejan and I's day started where it began. Full on food as simple as it was delicious we made out way towards the Kofuku-ji Temple to buy some of the crackers so we could feed the deer. Trying to feed the deer at the same time as we tried to get photos of us proved more difficult than anticipated. While some of the deer were super sweet as soon as some of the older deer spotted the crackers they would charge at you and sniff all around you trying to figure out where they were. Sejan and I had watched earlier as this couple had their starbucks knocked out of their hand as the deer ripped open the bag in search of crackers.

With the deer as full as we were Sejan and I headed back to Kyoto for one final day of exploration. Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive! 

Shinjuku Gyoen & Meiji Shrine

 

My legs were sore, tiny bolts of electricity danced through my calves with every step I took. The pedometer in my iPhone calculated had just hit 9 miles today almost on par with the 10 I walked yesterday. The line graph since Sejan's arrival jutted high like a mountain, towering above the days spent at home. I was spending my time in Tokyo more like a vacation and less like a natural part of my everyday life.

When you travel with someone you have to make sure that you have similar travel styles. Good friends do not always make good travel partners. On vacation Sejan moves at a lightning pace, routinely walking a mile in the mornings before I had even woken up. Meanwhile, I like to slow down, stretch out the hours until I melt into the local vibrations. Despite the difference in our speeds Sejan and I made great travel buddies because we care a lot about good food, taking amazing pictures, and being efficient. 

 Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is an oasis in the middle of hectic, chaotic, and busy Shinjuku. Rows of gorgeous award winning roses. Gardens designed in French, Japanese, and English styles. And large open spaces - perfect for a picnic greet you inside this haven. I had seen so many beautiful photos here and I couldn't wait to capture some of my own. Green houses have always been a love of mine because they represent a liminal space allowing flowers to grow in spaces and times when they would normally die. 

During the Edo Period, Shinjuku Gyoen served as the home of the feudal lord of Tokyo. In 1903 it was transfered to the Imperial Family, but it wasn't until 1949 that it was opened as a public park after almost being destroyed during World War II. World War II always seemed so far away when I learned about it in school. However, living in Tokyo has made me realize the scars countries have beared from the brutal conflict and how much important cultural history was almost lost.

After wandering around Shinjuku Gyoen Sejan and I headed towards Meiji Shrine. If I had been by myself I would have walked back home after enjoying a delicious bowl of ramen, however, Sejan was on a mission and so we hoped on the train and headed to our next destination.

Now, I didn't mean to save the shrine dedicated to the father of modern Japan for when Sejan arrived. I actually tried to explore Meiji shrine my third week but I got lost in Yoyogi Park. I assumed that since the two shared grounds that you could walk from one to the other. However, after many attempts- I gave up. On my way out of Yoyogi I happened upon a group of rockabillies and it was then that I realized that Yoyogi and Meiji have different entrances. 

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The shrine itself was completed in 1920, eight years after Emperor Meiji had passed. Interestingly enough he took the throne when he was only 15 years old. The grounds start with a large wooden gate and a wide road. The road eventually brings you to the sake barrels that you see above. These are donated every year as an offering. As you continue down the wooded trail the sounds and sights of Tokyo fall away and you forget that you are in a city. 

Deep in the forrest sits the Meiji Shrine which was unfortunately under renovations in the ramp up to the 2020 Olympics. So I didn't get any good photos of the shrine itself but I loved wandering around all the altars and cleansing stations.  Despite my exhaustion I was happy to be sharing my time in Tokyo with someone that I've known for so long.

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Tokyo/Imperial Palace

 

My time in Seoul allowed me to reconnect with myself. I turned over rocks and explored deep in the soil of my subconscious and I realized something new.  I don't travel to see new and interesting things, to explore the unexplored. For me travel is about building a deeper connection with myself and with the people I meet along the way. This explains my difficult first month in Tokyo. I have no problem going places by myself, but I'm going there because I want to meet new people. Tokyo became a source of joy for me after I built a community. And after my time in Fukuoka my love of Tokyo was growing even stronger because one of my best friends from college was coming to visit me.

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I had been saving many places that I wanted to see in Tokyo for Sejan's arrival. High among the list was the Imperial Palace. The palace sits on the grounds of the old Edo Castle. Before Tokyo became the capital, the honors go to Kyoto. It wasn't until 1868 that the emperor even moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.  The grounds are encloused in a huge moat with different areas inside like the palace grounds where the royal family lives as well as numerous gardens. 

The sun greeted us intensely as we made our way from the train platform up to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. I heard this place is gorgeous during cherry blossom season. The land was well manicured and there was even an area that contained one tree for each of the 47 prefectures of Japan. 

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You can also learn about the history of the grounds themselves and how their use has evolved overtime. The photo above is from inside of a guard house. After making our way around the gardens we attempted to explore the royal palace itself. I should have known something was up because there is no way to get to the palace from the garden so we walked around the moat that enshrines the totality of the grounds. The moat was really pretty and the grass sweeping down to the water made for a good picture as the city looms in the background.  

There were no signs listing which way was the fastest route to the Palace so I pulled up Google Maps and found the closest bridge from the street across the moat. Sejan and I began walking there, however when we arrived the gate was closed so we walk to the next bridge. That gate was closed as well so we continued walking around the perimeter of the moat.  By the time we got to the main gate we had essentially walked 5 kilometers. Unfortunately, we were not rewarded for our efforts because you can only explore the palace grounds on specific days of the year and through tours. This is why you should always do your research.

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Tired and hungry we wandered away to nearby Ginza and found this cute hawaiian themed restaurant where I ordered a tuna salad that was amazing!

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Fukuoka

 

 

The Sea of Japan was calm as the boat made its way to Fukuoka. Black and white captions scrolled across the screen of the nearest television. An image of Trump cut to an image of Kim Jong-un before a news commentator appeared. I pressed my head against the cold glass happy that I hadn't missed the boat to Japan.  I was even happier that I made the trip across the sea in the first place. A dose of media hysteria made me afraid to leave Japan. However, in South Korea I was greeted with calm not paranoia. My time away from the states made me forget how over exxagerated the news coverage can be.

Even though I had just gotten used to the rhythym of my life in Tokyo I knew I needed a break. I am a firm believer that frequent breaks from your environment helps you to appreciate it so much more. For me, that was reconnecting to why I love travel in the first place.  My time exploring South Korea gave me just enough distance to return to Japan with a mission and a drive I hadn't felt since the plane took off from Newark Airport all those months ago. 

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Taking the ferry had many advantages over a direct flight from Tokyo to Seoul. I got to explore the city of Busan- aka South Korea's answer to San Francisco very briefly. As well I was taking two days to explore a small city called Fukuoka which rests on the island of Kyushu, the most southern of the main islands of Japan. But most importantly I didn't have to worry about any liquid limits and bought a ton of Korean skin care products.

Thankfully Fukuoka greeted me with sun and clouds as opposed to the intense rain storm that greeted me on the first leg of my journey.  I was told that Fukuoka was known for a very intense pork ramen called hakata ramen. So my first stop after checking into my hostel was a big bowl of ramen. I was so hungry and tired from my marathon travels but trust me when I say I ate the most rich bowl of ramen in my life.

I had always hoped that the sadness which clouded the beginning of my time in Tokyo would lift and that I would develop an appreciation of the city even as I grew to realize that Tokyo was not able to give me what I needed. Those dreams were true the morning I woke up in Fukuoka. I had half a day to explore the city before heading back to Tokyo which I had begun to consider my home. Tokyo was so clear to me and I couldn't wait to take advantage of all that it had to offer.  My original plan was to go to the Wisteria gardens and take some self portraits there. However, I was more tired than I anticipated and instead decided to keep it local. I ate some udon from a shop across from my hostel and then made my way to Ohori Park.

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Ohori Park opened in 1929 and was modeled after the West Lake of China. This park is beautiful and a great place to relax by the water. What I really loved about it was the beautiful stone bridges that cut their way through the middle of the lake. 

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The main attraction is this stunning vermillion structure that juts off the edge of the mini islands. The city surrounds it and its really pretty.  After wandering around the park you can also see the ruins of an old castle. I wish I had more time to explore Fukuoka and Japan. My tourist visa meant that I had to choose between traveling deeply or broadly. The only Japanese cities I planned on exploring besides Tokyo was Nara, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. I choose deep because I really wanted to create community and art in Tokyo which can only grow from a consistent time in one place. The choice of depth was a success even though I had to change my initial vision of what success meant to me.  

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DivaNun Guide/Seoul

 

This DivaNun Guide is a one pager of everything to do, see, and eat in Seoul. 


Historical 

 

  • The Royal Palaces

    •  Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung, Gyeonghuigung

      • I've highlighted the ones I've seen

      • The palaces have a fee to enter but buying the bulk pass for all 5 palaces is the cheapest option even if you don't see every palace.

      • Bulk Pass Price: 10,000 won

  • Bukchon Hanok Village

    • A preserved version of a village during the Jonseon Dynasty. 
    • You can wander around the village for free but I highly suggest you pay to get into the observation deck.
    • Observaiton Deck Price: 3,000 won

    Cultural 

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    • Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art

      • An amazing art gallery that combines both ancient and contemporary art. One of the best interior designing I've ever seen in an art museum. 

    • Hongdae Neighborhood

      • This is where the university is and where my hostel was located. A great place for partying and night life. Lots of good restaurants to explore.

    • Itaewon Neighborhood

      • This is a very foreigner heavy district. There are some good restaurants but overall not a place I prefered to hang out out.  

    • Gangnam Neighborhood

      • The bright and shiny neighborhood south of the river. I found this place to be very expensive and didn't hang out there very much. 
    • Ihwa Mural Village

      • Murals and cute cafe's line the hills of this cute little village. 

    Miscellaneous

    • Facebook Pages
    • Night Life
      • Gay/Trans (Homo Hill)
        • Tucked away in Itaewon is Homo Hill where a number of different bars catering to gay and trans people are placed. 
      • Thursday Party (124-6 Itaewon 1(il)-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
        • A fun bar with a mix of both tourists and local college students. Though it does lean more heavily tourist. The drinks are strong and it will be popping on a weekday
      • NB1/ NB2 (362-4 Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea )
        • Large loud club on weekends. Open very late. Always packed
        • They play hip hop and pop music. 
        • Free before 10pm the cover starts off at 10,000 won before 11 and it rises at midnight. 
    • Accomodation
      • Time Travelers Party Hostel in Hongdae
        • 11 Yeonhui-ro 2-gil, Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
        • Very cheap and amazing hostel. DJ the owner is really chill and they go on group BBQ dinners on Friday. 
        • Youthful staff and a bar in the game lounge made this a very social and amazing place to hang out.
    • Souveniers
      • Skin care products are a must when you go to Seoul. It's so much cheaper then the United States. My favorite store was Skin Food but also Nature's Republic is forever bae. 

    Food

    After a month of Japanese food I was looking for something spicy and different. 

    • Cafe Blanc (173-14 Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea)

      • This was a cafe near my hostel. They served freshly baked bread and other dishes that took their inspiration from France but use Korean foundations. 
      • The fried pork sandwich and the pastries above were my favorite things.
    • Piggy Bank (331-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea )

      • I was told that unlike in the states Korean Barbque has meat specific restaurants. The first shop I went to was chicken only but piggy bank gave me the juicy pork and beef korean barbque that I love. The meat here is cooked over hot stones and it was so good. 
    • Korean Fried Chicken

      • I don't have a favorite place for fried chicken in Seoul because everywhere I ate was delicious and the portions were huge. 

    • Vegetables

      • Korea is a place that eats a lot of meat so aside from the Banchan, the small plates of fermented veggies and other good stuff, that comes with your bowl of rice and meat you won't eat very much green stuff. I even resorted to eating a salad because I was so  desperate for a vegetable

    Transportation/ Navigation

    Inside of a city bus in Seoul.

    Inside of a city bus in Seoul.

    • In Seoul
      • While there aren't as many sings in english as there where in Tokyo I had no problem navigating the urban transportation infastructure. I took buses and trains and always managed to get where I intended
      • Google Maps does not give walking directions so it's terrible for that but I was able to plot all my bus and train travel using it
    • To Seoul
      • There are non stop flights from Tokyo to Seoul but I decided that I wanted to add some extra cities for my trip. So Instead I flew to Fukuoka and took the Ferry from Fukuoka, Japan to Busan, South Korea,
      • Ferry Travel
        • The Ferry is very cheap and if you have tome to squeeze in two extra cities its one of the best ways to travel. A one way ticket only cost me $65 and takes around 3 hours over the sea of Japan. 
        • Important Reminder you have to pay port taxes in cash before you can get on the boat. It's  about 600 yen on the Japanese side and 3,000 won on the Korean side. I thought I could pay in card in Busan and I almost missed my ferry home. 

    Next Visit

    • Boseong Green Tea Fields
      • Can you imagine the photoshoots I would pull in these luscious ass fields
    •  Sunny Books
      • LGBT Book store in Itaewon
    • Jjimjilbang
      • 24 hour beauty spa's, where you can get massages and soaks in all kinds of different rooms.
      • Siloam is the one I heard was the best

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    Ihwa Mural Village

     

    Bits of blue paint shown faintly through the haphazard gray above it on one of the steep narrow stairwells that line the Ihwa Mural Village.  I had hoped the news reports I read weren't true but the famed mural of koi fish that once swam their way up these stairs had been painted over by an angry resident in the middle of the night in 2016. 

    While walking through the Ihwa Mural Village I noticed a lot of the same signs that I saw in the Bukchon Hanok Village. Plastered on the sides of walls in various states of decay were pleas to be quiet. So often as tourists we forget that people are living their full lives in the spaces that we exist in only partially. 

    In 2006, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism transformed a poor neighborhood in Jongo, Seoul into the Ihwa Mural Village- a new site for art and tourism. I along with many other tourists walked our way up a series of hills to snap picks with these beautiful pieces of art.  You can see a couple of examples below. However, with this new beautification came a lot of foot traffic and complaining from local residents prompting angry locals to vandalize not one but two iconic pieces of art. 

     

    In addition to the murals, there are a lot of new and cool shops and cafes have sprung up around the increased traffic. One shop has this beautiful view of downtown Seoul- as can be seen below. If I had more than a week in Seoul I definitely would have come back with a book and some tea. There was quiet a crowd when I was there but one owner stated in the Korea Herald that his business was down 35% since the vandalism occurred. 

    Meandering through the different areas in the mural village I thought back to my home of DC and how pushes to make poor areas economically viable often comes at the expense of local residents. I understand deeply how you can feel unheard as they make your neighbordhood better for everyone but you. I'm not sure whats best on a strucutral policy level but what I do know is that while traveling I hope to give more then I take. 


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    Bukchon Hanok Village

     

    Close your eyes and imagine with me: you step off the bus in Seoul. Your downtown and you can tell because the sky greets you with metal clouds that glitter in the night and reflect the world during the day. You walk 3 blocks north and duck east into an alleyway and suddenly you're transported back to the Joseon Dynasty. The rush and hecticness of the city fall away as you explore the narrow alleys and intricate details of the traditional Korean houses called "hanok". People wander around you dressed in high-waisted, A-line dresses  called Hanbok's- they are bright and colorful. You are lost in another time, but fantasies don't last forever and the woman wearing the hanbok pulls out a selfie stick and you're transported back to the present. 

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    For my first full day in Seoul I wanted to do as much exploration as possible. Thankfully the Bukchon Hanok village is situated in between the two main palaces. Word of advice Google maps does not work for street by street directions. It was able to tell me where the bus would pick me up and drop me off, however, I had to navigate the winding streets around my hostel to get there. 

     I walked over 9 miles in total my first day, but it was worth it because the village was originally created to house nobility and high-ranking government officials.  And you can really see the majesty in these houses through the intense attention to detail. Despite years of wear and tear the attention paid was so clear. 

    As I wandered around the village I stumbled across this street art that took up the bottom portion of a large wall. I wasn't sure if it was history lesson from the Joseon Dynasty or some kind of protest art.

    Besides taking photos and exploring the maze that makes up this village I highly suggest everyone find the Bukchon Hanok Observatory. From there you can see the roofs of all the houses and the beautiful patterns they made. Looking south you can see the roofs of these hundred year old houses and how the blend into modern city, looking north and the hanok's fade off into the base of the mountain. 

    Exploring the history of Seoul through this village was the perfect introduction to Seoul, a city that blends so seamlessly the past, present, and future. Make sure you subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

    Shimokitazawa

     

    Shimokitazawa, or Shimokita for short, has been described as what Tokyo would look like if hipsters ran the city. From boutique clothing stalls, quaint coffee shops, and amazing vintage finds this is not an area you want to miss. 

    Shimokita consists of tiny streets packed with stores selling a combination of new and vintage pieces. If you are in search of something unique then I would suggest you spend a couple hours getting lost among the clothes hangers. At Tabatha you can find Supreme like merchandise that reps the neighborhood of Shimokita with cute hats and jackets.

    Some of the strangest things I saw in Tokyo was in this small neighborhood. I was walking down the street and noticed this mannequin and I had to step in to get a closer look. 

    One of the best stores I stumbled across was Far East Leather, founded in 1979. The store carries handmade wallets and purses.

    What stood out to me most was the abundance of graffiti that could be found in Shimokita. I love to see different cities and cultures take on the art form and I was always saddened by its abcense in Tokyo. For a slice of the weird and quirky visit Shimokitazawa.

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    Tsukiji Fish Market

     

    The first time I ever had sushi was in a banquet hall during my teenage years. While the date and location are fuzzy the memories that are the strongest from that night was being tricked into eating wasabi and disliking sushi. I knew that for my upcoming travel to Japan I needed to get over my dislike of sushi. While in LA I made it my mission to get conquer my aversion. After a couple rolls and sake bombs I finally started to get the hang of the sushi life. However nothing prepared me for eating sushi in Tokyo. 

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    One of the best and most famous places to eat sushi in Tokyo is at the Tsukiji Fish Market. The market itself has been operating in this location since it was relocated after an earthquake in 1923. The market is separated into inner and outer sections. The famous fish auction takes place at the inner market and has very limited seating that requires you to arrive around 4 am, before the trains open, in order to snag a seat.

    For those who just want to eat sushi breakfast feel free to show up around 9 or 10 and the outer market will be full of fresh fish and tourists meandering its tiny alleys. The first thing I realized when eating sushi in Tokyo is the absence of maki, which is the sushi rolls we are so accustomed to in the states. While they definitely are available the most common form of sushi you find is nigri, which is fish placed on top of sushi rice. I found that with nigri the flavor and texture of the fish really shine through. 

    Now don't be tempted by the long lines of some of the more famous sushi shops in Tsukiji. Every restaurant in the outer market gets its fish at the same time from the inner market so quality doesn't vary. I advise wandering the markets looking our for signs like this:

    I found that the cheapest restaurants were in the back of the outer market near the shrine. Some places near the front charged more money for the exact same products in the back so evaluate carefully.  After I found my location I ordered three different kinds of tuna over rice. 

    One of the best breakfasts I've ever had.

    One of the best breakfasts I've ever had.

    I wouldn't order too much because there's so much more to eat in this market than sushi. I suggest starting off with sushi and then finishing off your breakfast with one of these. 

    After getting your fill, wander around the market and see all the cool shops and stores. I found a wine bar tucked into the back section of the market along with stalls selling dried fish and strawberries and anything else you could want. 

    As I was exploring the market I found a Shinto shrine hidden in the back. It's a great place to sit down and take a rest away from all the frenzied tourists in the outer market. The Namiyoke Inari Shrine was built in 1657 and its name means "protection from waves."

    Exploring the market and eating some of the freshest fish was a great way to start my morning. A stop here is a must for anyone visiting this amazing city. 

    Senso-ji Temple

     

    Incense smoke wafts out of the jokoro and over your body in a ritual act that’s been performed at the temple for the last four hundred years.  The jokoro sits directly in front of the main hall of the Senso-ji Temple and is a place for you to purify your body before entering the sacred ground completed in 628- the oldest in Tokyo. The temple is dedicated to Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of mercy.

    Coming to Japan was an act of purification I didn’t know I needed. Far away from all of my comforts, there was nothing left for me to hide behind. And in that stillness, I grew more connected to my passion and what drew me to travel in the first place even though I had to cry to get there.

    The Kaminarimon

    The Kaminarimon

    The first thing that greets you on your way towards the temple is the Kaminarimon, the Thunder Gate.  A great red lantern with a dragon carved on the bottom hangs in between to statues of the gods of Thunder and Wind. I was surprised to learn that the statues present are restorations of the original. 

    Past the first gate is a market that has existed almost as long as the temple itself with some of the stalls operated by the same family for over 100 years. The street crowded and full of sweets, gifts, and paraphernalia is called Nakamise-Dori. 

    Towards the end lies the second gate the Hozomon which again was destroyed twice since it was built in 942.

    The temple and the Nakamise-Dori aren't the only things to enjoy while exploring this site of rich history. 

    There are so many additional shrines and gardens and statues that dot the area. There are shrines dedicated to the people who built the temple. Statues that remember the service of important women from Japanese history.

    Once you are off the main strip you get to enjoy the more quiet side of this Buddhist temple. There's a shaded area off to the left that I sat at while eating a Japanese sweet bread filled with ice cream. I thought about how the temple and its many parts have been destroyed so many times the most damaging being the air raids during WWII. But in the spirit of rebirth and peace, they were crafted anew. I hope that everyone who comes to this shrine dedicated to mercy leaves with compassion and forgiveness in their hearts, the same way I did. 

    I always say as long as you learn from your experiences then you should never regret them. I learned so much in my sadness that I rediscovered a happiness I haven't felt in years. I can't wait to continue to share the happy memories I'm making here in Tokyo!

    The Hozomon Gate  and jokoro as seen from the temple. 

    The Hozomon Gate  and jokoro as seen from the temple. 

    Week 1 in Tokyo

     

    I woke up in Tokyo but my body still thought I was on the east coast. After an 18 hour flight, numerous time zone changes, and almost missing my connection in Beijing I had finally arrived in the city of my dreams minus one of my checked bags.

    The view from my window seat. 

    The view from my window seat. 

    My first night was spent in a hotel because the hostel I was staying in ended check in after my flight landed.  The only thing open at midnight after I navigated the sprawling Japanese railway system was 7/11 though I didn't care because I was hungry for something other then tiny airport meals. I was quite surprised by how much better the quality of food was in Tokyo verses the states. 

    After a brief nights sleep I went to go check into my hostel. There is so much to see in Tokyo and even during the brief walk I was inundated with sights and smells. Every inch of this city is packed with something visually interesting. 

    The hostel I checked into was the Irori Hostel and Kitchen located in Nihonbashi a little west of Chiyoda. Irori is named after the traditional Japanese fireplace hidden in the tables that dot the entrance. I choose this because it seemed to represent a more authentic introduction to Japan. The staff was so nice and helpful with all my questions. Irori has two lounges and a kitchen you can prepare your own meals, they even cook a traditional Japanese breakfast if you order one the night before. The bunk beds were comfortable and the most privacy I've ever had while in a shared hostel. Next time you go to Tokyo I highly suggest you stay there.

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    My first taste of Japanese food was some miso soup and some delicious fried chicken at Torigen a quick walk from Irori. The texture of the fried chicken was lighter than the southern recipes I’m used to with a much more subtle flavor which allowed the taste of the chicken to really shine.

    I'll admit I was extremely intimidated by the Tokyo railway system of which there are 158 lines owned by 58 different companies. Thankfully the Pasmo card which you can get upon arrival at the airport allows you to hop between them as if they are all owned by the same. Once you ride it once it becomes a much more simple beast especially since there are many signs and announcements made in English. 

    What you do need to be careful about is the final train. Tokyo's expansive network of trains suspend service around midnight depending on where you are in the city. Unlike DC, where the train system flushes itself out, Tokyo's transit will just stop at whatever station and force you to get out. You would think that taxi's and uber's would rush to fill in that market but no. Taxi's can be as costly as $100 for a distance that would only be $15-20 in DC. So people stay out in Tokyo till 5am.

     

    I explored a lot in my first week, and my future blog posts will all be dedicated to one of the 23 wards. Two things made my first week very hard. The first was that I arrived in Tokyo for 3 months but only had accommodation for the first week. I trusted in the universe that I would find a place and while it all worked out through Tokyo Room Finder and I now live in Shinjuku I'll tell you that Tokyo did not make it easy. For one, there isn't really a culture of shared living in your 20's and 30's that exists in so much of the United States. If you want a communal living environment I suggest checking out Borderless House

    The second thing that made my first week difficult was that I was really lonely. The research said Japan is a difficult country to make friends in. I considered myself the kind of person who can and has traveled places by myself. But when it actually hit me as I walked down the streets of Roppongi that I was really by myself- I couldn't help but cry. I let the feeling wash over me fully because it's something that everyone who travels solo feels. Tokyo is one of the hardest beasts to master and as my first destination I was taking on quite a challenge. Almost every other place I travel too should be much easier. After the tears dried I felt more certain than ever that I was where I was supposed to be. I was taking the time to focus on my art and live outside my comfort zone in a city I always dreamed of living. I came to Tokyo to grow and flourish is what I will do here. 

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    SF/ Chinatown

     

    The streets were slick with rain but they didn’t stop us or the umbrella’d masses from exploring San Francisco's Chinatown. Which makes sense considering it is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as the oldest in North America. 

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    After a quick bite of a clay pot dish we went looking for the Peace Heart Doctor Banksy artwork that lines the walls of one of the many alleyways in Chinatown. We couldn’t find it, the address is 720 Grant Ave,  but what we did stumble across was a fortune cookie factory.

    Now as someone who can’t stand the taste of fortune cookies I have to say that fresh cookies taste infinitely better than the ones that you receive in a restaurant. 

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    For 50 cents we were allowed to snap photos inside the factory. 

    Despite my new appreciation for the creation of these cookies I'm still traumatized by the last fortune I got which told me I was not being paranoid enough. 

    We kept exploring down the maze of alleyways and discovered another cool handmade desert by the name of Dragon's Hair. Think of it as the Chinese take on cotton candy. 

    This delicious desert can be ordered at Dragon Papa 752 Grant Ave.

    I exited Chinatown and made my way to Oakland wondering what other cool foods I would discover during my travels.

    Echo Park

     

     The Sun decided to say hello just as the photo shoot started. A previously overcast day was now bright with colors; Amhari’s highlight shone like gold. We had just met the week before.

    Amhari in front of the lake.

    Amhari in front of the lake.

     

    When I travel I believe the universe will provide what I need. As a photographer, specifically interested in using the genre of fashion photography to tell the stories of the marginalized, I can’t hone my talent without people. While in L.A. I really wanted to push myself to find a model for my project Black Femme Magic. I haven’t had much luck with model mayhem so I was hoping that while I was out on the town I would meet someone willing to be photographed by me.

     

    I sat down on the bench outside of a party- legs tired from dancing to a nudisco song I couldn’t have Shazamed if I wanted to. On my right was Brooke just as tired as me and on the right was a person I didn’t know. In the spirit of being friendly, I said hello. Fast forward and I was now photographing this person.  

    What started as a drinking reservoir in 1870 became a park in 1892. Amhari had suggested it because she was from eastern part of L.A.  I spent most of my time on the west side of the city so I rejoiced at the ability to go east. 

    After the photoshoot Amhari took me to one of her favorite little pizza places in the neighborhood. 

     

     

    L.A. Museums

     

    The soft echo of footsteps bounce off the walls of the museum- a sound I know all too well. Being from DC, museums are everywhere and I have come to enjoy the world-class art my city has to offer. Museums can tell you a lot about a city as long as you ask the right questions. Where are the museums located? Are they free? Whose stories are being told?  In DC most of the museums are free. However, in LA almost all of the museums having some kind of fee, which I found to be surprising. Check out http://www.welikela.com/  for their monthly list of free museum days, so you can be sure to see great art on a budget. 

    The first free museum day took me to The Getty. High on a hill, overlooking the rest of the city is where this mammoth art center lies. A graceful tram carries you from the parking lot around the hill to a stunning view of the city. LA fell below me just as rush hour was in full swing. 

    I wasn't prepared for how large The Getty's campus was there is a sculpture and rose garden in addition to the five main buildings.

     

      My favorite exhibit was Latent Exposures. This photography exhibition showcased multipart photographic works. I was particularly enamored with the photography of William Leavitt seen below, and Liza Ryan. 

     

    The next museum I ended up at was the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA. An iconic museum known for its insta worthy Urban Light installation. LACMA struck me by how tactile the museum was. There were so many ways you could physically interact with the space. One of their exhibitions was an exploration of Native Art through Mexico and South America. The standard white box gallery space was shaped to look like red and tan rocks undulating in a cabin. 

     

    Urban Light installation. 

    Urban Light installation. 

    The final museum was The Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA. It was a rainy day in LA and I was not in the mood. The spell was immediately lifted in Mickalene Thomas’s exhibit Do I Look Like a Lady. Two large screens grabbed my attention, they played on a loop, images of black female performers the audio and visuals no longer in sync. I became joyous seeing the visuals of Josephine Baker with the comedy of Mo'Nique. The setting was similar to my grandmothers living room. Rugs decorated the floor; comfy chairs lounged against a wall; books were scattered across the room. Mickalene’s work centers a complex meditation on black female identity and how they are represented in the media.  Something that I am trying to do in my photography project BlackFemmeMagic.

    While I do believe D.C. has some of the best museums in this country, I have to say LA has a great scene. The most ludicrous part was that I didn’t even make it to some of the other institutions like the Broad. No trip to LA is complete without viewing the abundant and enriching museum scene.