http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Jim+Sherard Travel Jim Sherard Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=217624&ca=Travel For new arrivals in Japan riding trains quickly becomes a necessity of life. Taking on the challenge of a crowded morning rush hour train is a right of passage, and foreigners who pass this grueling test are promoted to the ranks of those tenacious individuals able to adapt to this country's major f... Travel Jim Sherard Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=217432&ca=Travel Japan. The name evokes images of cherry blossoms and temples, of Samurai and Kimono clad Geisha. The contemporary Japan of today is a diverse conglomeration of history and tradition merging with a future that often struggles to understand itself. A country vibrantly alive and awaiting the traveler w... Travel Jim Sherard Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=215464&ca=Travel Japan, and especially it's capital city of Tokyo, have been notoriously famous throughout the years as being among the world's most expensive places to live. Those who have experienced a ten dollar cup of coffee in the Ginza, or noticed the stylishly packaged melons for sale at airport tourist shops... Travel Jim Sherard Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=214379&ca=Travel The Japanese tea ceremony is a traditional ritual influenced by Zen Buddhism in which green tea known as matcha is prepared and ceremoniously served by a skilled practitioner to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting such as a garden tea house. Chanoyu which means “hot water for tea” refers t... Travel Jim Sherard Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=214404&ca=Travel Meeting members of the opposite sex in Japan is usually not a complicated process, as more often than not the nature of the job, whether it be a businessman or English instructor, will bring you into contact with Japanese in the workplace who would like to get to know you better outside of the offic... Travel Jim Sherard Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=214945&ca=Travel With Japan rated as the third largest coffee consumer in the world, it comes as no surprise that coffee shops (kissatens) abound, with Tokyo alone home to over ten thousand. Shops come in all sizes and styles, but the smaller versions usually include only a counter and a few tables that are often so...