The other man in Japan

I recently had the pleasure of going on a bike trip, with my friend Ryuo (his name is means flowing dragon! cool eh) to Izumo. The province of the Gods. I went to visit izumo taisha

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/shimane/izumotaisha.html

It was a really amazing experience, it is one of the most important and old shrines in Japan and definitely had a very special atmosphere.

I also visited the house of Koizumi yakumo, or Lafcadio Hearn as he is known to western world.
A very interesting man. Born in greece to a greek mother and Irish father, grew up in dublin and
emigrated to america stopped off in the west indies and eventually settled In Matsue in Japan.
He translated traditional japanese stories and wrote his own in both japanese and English.

you can read his books here for free
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/h#a368

his writing is very enjoyable and I am repeatedly shocked at how I had the very same thoughts upon my first impressions of japan. But he was having them 150 years ago.