Tag Archives: bicycles

Life In Japan: Dekansho 2024!

Posted on August 18, 2024 by johnrachel

The Dekansho Festival here in my hometown is my favorite. The music, dancing, food and fireworks are great. But most of all, it’s seeing the whole community come together to have a good time that makes it so special. It’s truly inspiring! Continue reading →

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Life In Japan: Bicycle Theft

Posted on January 31, 2018 by johnrachel

There’s an innocence here in Japan, and a sense of honor and courtesy, a respect for the possessions of others. So much so that a bicycle theft is truly out-of-the-ordinary. And thus it warrants extraordinary response by the authorities. This is a true story. Continue reading →

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Update: Stairway To Heaven

Posted on May 31, 2016 by johnrachel

Why do we seek high places? We generally look up when we pray. We don’t send our prayers into the dirt, we launch them out and upwards to float into the ether of spiritual space. We certainly don’t ever aspire to the lower moral ground. We don’t say, ‘I’m at the bottom of the world.’ We don’t declare, ‘I had a valley experience.’ When we smoke a joint, we don’t get low. I guess we just assume that somewhere “up there” is some comfort. Maybe some answers. And if we don’t get the answers we need, at least we have a nice view or easy exhilaration. Continue reading →

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