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    • Spring
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.

        Solace and Giant Salamanders in Akiota

        Just beyond Hiroshima City is a tranquil outdoor destination home to some of Japan's last remaining oosanshouo, the elusive giant salamander.
        Kyoto Oni Trail Outdoor Japanvideo

        The Oni Trail: Hiking Coastal Kyoto

        The mystical oni is prevalent in Japanese children’s stories, usually as a way to scare kids straight. Adventure Travel Kyoto is shedding a new light on this folklore and developing a new hiking route in the countryside of Kyoto.
    • Summer
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        mead brewing in japan

        The Sweet Secrets of Brewing Mead

        Wander into the world of mead brewing and find yourself immersed in a fascinating journey spanning centuries and continents.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
        sea to table yamagata

        Sea to Table in Yamagata

        An unforgettable way to intimately explore the Shonai Region in Yamagata is a culinary experience bringing bounty of the sea straight to your table.
    • Autumn
    • Winter
    • Near Tokyo
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Near Kyoto
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • River and Lake
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Mountain and Land
    • Sky
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Snow and Ice
      • climbing mt. fuji off season

        Mt. Fuji: The Path Less Traveled

        Fuji-san is the most climbed mountain in the world. If you are in good shape, there is a way to avoid the traffic for a more peaceful Mt. Fuji experience during the off-season.
    • Travel
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Food and Drinks
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Races and Events
      • dd4d brewing

        DD4D Brewing

        In nearly e...
        fuji rock japan

        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
        Summer Events Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        Enjoy these fireworks festivals held throughout Japan this summer and autumn.

Promises

Recently I repeatedly heard the word “congratulations.” Although I was not receiving those heartfelt greetings directly, I was touched all the same. People often say, “Praising people makes them grow.” I suggest, “Hearing people being praised also makes you grow.”

The occasion for all these “congratulations” being tossed about was a friend’s wedding. The gathering was an island ceremony for two surfers who had moved to our outcropping of land drifting on the seas of southern Japan. Friends of the couple made preparations on a grassy plot of land with a view of the ocean, and the pastor stood before family and friends as the couple exchanged their promises.

For those of us used to island living, it was a day of unique perspectives. The men shuffled nervously about in collared shirts, and the women enjoyed dressing to the nines in all the latest fashion. It was definitely a more stylish look than the swimming gear or work clothes we normally wear. Those in attendance split into two lines along the sunlit and fresh green grass. The bride, in her white wedding dress, proceeded past the guests, showered with “congratulations.”

Soon oaths were signed, vows exchanged with a curt “I do” and the veil was removed for a kiss. I noted all the ways promises were made—they were signed, spoken and expressed in action. These promises also take place in our daily lives and should we stray from the path with any of them, lies can be told and trust can be lost.

This was truly a day for “high tide” (an old Japanese expression meaning “things going your way”). Celebrating marriage means people have reached a decisive point in their lives together. A promise until “death do us part,” understanding the human existence is marked by reaching one goal and then setting out for the next, a process which continues ad infinitum. If you break it off or give up half way, you can end up in a losing cycle of blame and complaints.

As the ceremony reached its end, we guests lined up, and each presented a single flower and a heartfelt “congratulations” to the newlyweds as they made their way past. Yet the bride and groom were not the only ones confirming commitments that day. The ceremony was a reminder that we all have promises to keep, and I thought to myself, “Men and women are truly complex and blessed creatures.”

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