By Michael L. Weiss | Besorah From the JourneyJuly 8, 2025 While traveling through Spain these past weeks—walking its storied boulevards, absorbing its artistic brilliance, and tracing the remnants of once-vibrant Jewish life—I received a message from a dear friend. He sent me an article highlighting the alarming rise of antisemitism across Europe, with Spain […]
The voyage from sea to city in Japan is less of a journey and more of a cultural slingshot, which we found ourselves strapped into after bidding farewell to our ocean-bound abode of the last five weeks. Leaving the ship with our seven (magically multiplying in weight) bags, we anticipated a simple transition to terra […]
Traveling through the heart of northern Japan, away from the bustling metropolises, our journey brought us to the less-trodden paths of Aomori Prefecture. Here, the small towns and villages exemplify the backbone of Japan—blue-collar, hardworking communities rich in tradition and far removed from the consumer-centric culture of the larger cities. In Aomori, we discovered not […]
In the heart of Japan’s bustling cities and peaceful countryside, there blooms every spring an ephemeral spectacle that captures the hearts of both the locals and visitors alike: the cherry blossoms, or sakura. These delicate blooms paint the landscape in shades of pale pink and white, creating a canvas that seems too beautiful to belong […]
In the annals of history, few events have altered the course of humanity as profoundly as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. These events are not only etched in the physical landscapes of Japan but also the collective memory of the world, symbolizing the devastating costs of war and the […]
Introduction: 45 Years of Amazement and a Few Extra Inches Imagine me, a 6’1” gaijin, sauntering down the streets of Tokyo in cowboy boots nearly half a century ago. The sidewalks parted like the Red Sea as the towering foreigner, clad in boots that clacked with every step, marched through. Fast forward to today, and […]
In the land of the rising sun, where cherry blossoms whisper tales of old and the wind hums lullabies of the samurai past, there stands a celestial marvel, a mountain that transcends the mere physical to touch the divine. This is Mount Fuji, a majestic spectacle, not merely the highest peak in Japan but […]
Ah, the open sea! The endless horizon, the gentle rocking of the ship, and the culinary delights that tantalize and then, inevitably, tire. Two weeks into our nautical escapade, even the most exotic menu began to echo the dreariness of a Monday morning without coffee. Fear not, for the eve of our arrival in Osaka […]
Ah, the Satsuma Peninsula – a sliver of Japan that dangles into the ocean like a teapot, ready to pour its cultural brew into the sea. Stretching about 30 miles south from Kagoshima City, this southwestern nook of Kagoshima Prefecture is a veritable time capsule, minus the dust and the need to update your tetanus […]
Okinawa, a prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and mainland Japan, holds a complex history that intertwines its rich cultural heritage with the scars of war and occupation. Yet, it is a testament to the resilience of its people and their capacity for reconciliation and adaptation in the […]