清水寺
Kiyomizudera Kyoto

Since coming back from Canada in January, I've spent more weekends on the road than not. After my first week of work, I caught the night bus to Kansai to indulge in aimless wandering, market finds and Kobe beef.


A few weeks later, I was back on the road, this time with Greg by my side. We went to Kanagawa prefecture on what was probably the most indulgent three day holiday of my life - waiting 2 hours for a seat at Bill Granger's restaurant in Shichirigama for his famous ricotta pancakes, Indian curry feasts, pizza lunches in Yokohama's Red Brick Warehouse district. Somehow the only Japanese thing we consumed was beer. We also fulfilled my lifelong dream of riding the Cosmo Clock ferris wheel in Yokohama, which is both the world's largest clock and the most terrifying experience I've ever put myself through.

K's House Onsen,  Ito

The next week, a group of us went to our favourite guest house in Ito, Shizuoka prefecture, for a lazy onsen weekend. We used some light drizzle on Saturday as an excuse to stay in our yukatas all weekend, drifting back and forth between our oversized kotatsu and the guesthouse's own hot spring bath. 

高麗
Koma

Considering how quickly our schedules fill up, with weekends away and day trips to see our friends, it's rare that I get the chance to stop and appreciate where I live and work. I took my camera on a bike ride to work yesterday. I live in the suburbs of Hidaka - a neighbourhood of apartment complexes, houses and supermarkets - but there is a clear divide on my way to work between suburban Hidaka and the inaka (countryside) called Koma. It's rustic and unkempt, and that's what I find so beautiful about it - the tall grass, burning fields, overgrown trees and seemingly abandoned houses. You can now see all of my photos on my brand new Flickr page! www.flickr.com/chloe_rew