Anna Matsushita

  Please forgive this old person for indulging in a little reminiscence. Long ago, when I was young, I joined a travel company in Tokyo, near a famous temple. The temple had several tombstones belonging to famous samurai from the 18th century. As new employees, we were told by our senior colleagues that the tombstones were well known, even among tourists from abroad. They told us the story of the samurai, and out of curiosity, we paid a visit to the tombstones to recall those very old days when samurai were still part of Japan's history. The temple became our sanctuary during our lunch breaks. With the office almost refrigerated by air conditioning from early summer onwards, we escaped from the office and had lunch under a large tree in the temple grounds. The shade was wonderfully comfortable, and with the occasional breeze, we thawed ourselves out after being frozen in the office and enjoyed a leisurely lunch there. The temple was, indeed, a popular place for visitors from ...

 One winter, my family and I embarked on a journey to the Canary Islands, situated off the coast of North Africa, to celebrate the year-end holidays. These islands, a bit farther south than the Mediterranean, are renowned for their numerous volcanoes. My destination was one of the islands in the archipelago, Lanzarote. It's a Spanish territory where the predominant language is, unsurprisingly, Spanish. Upon landing at the airport and traversing the island by bus, I beheld many curious sights. I noticed peculiar circular enclosures made of stone, with greenery growing in sunken centers. Our guide explained that these were vineyards. The island, formed from volcanic ash, experiences strong winds, making it challenging to cultivate taller crops. Thus, they construct enclosures with rocks to shield against the wind, creating depressions in the center where grapevines thrive. That day, our group of nearly thirty individuals was meticulously led around by our guide, showcasing variou...

  A tale from the distant past unfolds when a colleague from the travel agency bid us farewell, prompting the team to gather for a celebratory meal. Opting for the favorite Spanish cuisine of the departing comrade, our second-year colleagues discovered a delightful eatery nearby in Tokyo. Run by a Spaniard, the restaurant was conveniently close to the office, and on that day, they had arranged a private room for our group. As we indulged in classic paella and fine wines, the jovial atmosphere escalated, and the affable owner inquired if we desired anything more. It was then that someone exclaimed, "We'd love some sangria!" The proprietor's momentary hesitation upon hearing this request left me a lasting impression. Returning from the kitchen, the owner presented us with three large pitchers of sangria. Brimming with oranges and other fruits, this chilled concoction was a refreshing delight for our somewhat inebriated selves. However, the lingering expression of the ow...

 It must have been about twenty-five years ago. Our colleagues and I had just graduated from university that year and landed jobs at a small travel agency. Specializing in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, the company thoroughly immersed us in the geography, history, tourist attractions, and various local cuisines of Europe through our work.   Among our colleagues were those who, during their student days, embarked on budget travels abroad, boldly exploring various countries. We exchanged experiences, learning from each other, and absorbed knowledge like sponges from our seniors, as we navigated through our daily routines.   At that time, my role involved researching travel ideas for sales outside by obtaining information from overseas branches. Information available domestically required my personal research, compilation, and storage. Despite the bursting of the economic bubble about five to six years earlier, Japan still had a thriving population eager for informatio...

Taste of forbidden drink Long time ago when I was living in the UK, I realized that cider (hard cider, or cidre) was available at pubs. However, when I go to the pubs with my English friends, they always tried to stop me drinking cider, saying “It’s not for young people” “Japanese won’t like it” “The Japanese people are weak on alcohol. Cider is too strong for the Japanese”. Those were their opinion, but I was baffled with their strong rejections. These English friends called themselves connoisseur of Japan, as all of them have lived in Japan for a bout year. They all rejected cider that it dose not match Japanese’ taste.  Looking back now, they probably experienced something uncomfortable when suggesting cider to the Japanese people. Possibly they did not want to let me down.  After long years passed from the incident, I finally found a chance to try British cider. A pub in Tokyo was displaying their drink menu on their website, and there were eight choices of cider. Recallin...

 One spring, long ago, I stayed in Ireland for a month with a group of friends. We travelled extensively around the country and spent about a week in Dublin. With plenty of time at our disposal, some of us decided to visit Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands off Ireland’s west coast.   The Aran Islands, comprising Inishmore, Inisheer, and Inishmaan, are renowned for their rugged beauty and as the birthplace of the iconic Aran jumpers, famous for their intricate cable patterns. These islands hold a certain charm for knitters and history enthusiasts alike.   Our journey began with a long coach ride from Dublin to Galway, the gateway to the Aran Islands and the departure point for the ferries. Galway itself is a delightful city, known as the birthplace of the Claddagh ring, a popular Irish souvenir. The ring’s distinctive design—a heart crowned and held by two hands—symbolises love, loyalty, and friendship. It is often used as an engagement ring. I recall seeing this ...