Nikko Kaido Historic Road & Suginamiki

My initial interest in Japan was sparked by the stories told by my boss - a first generation Japanese American - at my after school part time job in Seattle, Washington. Stories of his Japanese childhood in Iwakuni, and the experiences Japanese immigrants faced when they came to the United States impacted me and I went on to earn a BA in Secondary Education and Japanese history at Western Washington University and, while there, made my first trip to Japan in 1971 as a home-stay/study-abroad student. In my nearly forty five years in Japan since those days I have witnessed first-hand Japan's rapid economic development and its real estate and stock market bubble that burst in the late 80s bringing everything to a rapid halt. Since then, Japan's two plus lost decades continue to this day. My experience includes twenty years as a salaryman in a Japanese company and a teacher of Japanese Social Studies at Nishimachi International School. Now focused on Japan, her history, culture, and society, I am passionate about providing insightful and meaningful tours that create a vivid experience for visitors to take back home. Besides providing insightful and historically oriented Tokyo tours that I am happy to customise, I introduce people to other locations in Japan like Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura, Kyoto, and up the ancient Nakasendo that linked Edo - today's Tokyo - to Kyoto for over 265 years of the Edo period. Currently I am teaching tour guiding classes as well as A Japanese History class at Temple University, Tokyo Campus. I also continue my practice of Nihon Buyo, traditional Japanese dance, that has its origins in Kabuki, and am a certified practitioner of ikebana. My stage appearances have been featured on Japanese TV and in Japanese newspapers. BA in Secondary Ed. and Japanese History, Japanese Drivers License, Certificarte of Proficiency in Sogetsu Ikebana, 35 Years in Hanayagi School of Buyo - Japanese traditional dance, Long-Term-Permanent-Resident of Japan