Tom Fay @T_in_Japan Twitter profile | Pikagi

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Tom Fay

@T_in_Japan

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British outdoors and travel writer based in Japan @ciceronepress @bradtguides @lonelyplanet Often up a mountain

Japan

https://t.co/SZwzNBtjfV

Joined May 2021

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@T_in_Japan

Tom Fay

5 months

My brand new guidebook to Hokkaido with @BradtGuides is now available everywhere (non-UK wait a little longer!), and it is the most comprehensive English-language guidebook to the island ever written! To win a free copy, I’ll randomly choose one person who likes & retweets this!

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@T_in_Japan

Tom Fay

3 years

I did a thing and I’m now the owner of a 100-year old farmhouse (plus all of it’s contents) in Kyoto. Evidently quite a lot of work to do inside before it’s livable. The fruit trees in the garden are often raided by wild boar and monkeys, but looking forward to the inaka life!

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Tom Fay

1 year

Breakfast this morning - a rather good bento box from the summit of Japan’s 2nd highest mountain while looking at Japan’s 1st highest mountain

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Tom Fay

2 years

A handful of the (sadly) many akiya (empty properties) within a minute or two walk from my house. Anyone want to be my neighbour?

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Tom Fay

1 year

More scenes from Japan’s second tallest mountain Kita-dake (3193m), and thankfully not a chopstick in sight

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Tom Fay

1 month

Big huntsman spiders are a fact of life in the Japanese countryside, but more than their size, speed and ability to jump, it’s the sound of their eight galloping legs as they scurry along walls and shoji (sliding doors) which unnerves me most

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Tom Fay

9 months

The Kuromatsu is a reservation-only restaurant train which plies the scenic coastal route between Amanohashidate and Maizuru in northern Kyoto. It offers fancy food and great views, with a choice of breakfast, lunch or an afternoon local appetizer course.

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Tom Fay

2 years

I may have found one of the best exits to a car park in Tokyo

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Tom Fay

3 years

One of the most unique landscapes I’ve seen in Japan - frozen trees in early spring around the summit of Mt Daibosatsu (2057m) in Yamanashi Prefecture.

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Tom Fay

2 years

The ‘Wide View’ Hida express train which runs between Nagoya, Takayama and Toyama (plus a once-a-day service to and from Osaka) is a great way to see the Japanese countryside, especially if you manage to snag one of the front seats behind the driver

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Tom Fay

1 year

The view on my way home this evening

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Tom Fay

3 years

Crisp early winter mornings are simply the best time for viewing Mt Fuji. #mountfuji #mtfuji #富士山

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Tom Fay

25 days

Eastern Hokkaido has arguably the most unique natural treasures and diverse scenery of any region in Japan

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Tom Fay

2 years

I do like a good pagoda in the snow

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Tom Fay

1 month

Winter lovers rejoice - Japan’s first snow of the season was recorded at the summit of Mt. Rishiri in northern Hokkaido today, 25 days earlier than the first official snowfall last year

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Tom Fay

3 years

Sunrise views of Mount Fuji are better than sunrise views from Mount Fuji - discuss #mountfuji #mtfuji #japan #富士山

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Tom Fay

2 years

First snow of the season spotted on Mt Fuji today. So the Japanese word of the day is 初冠雪 (はつかんせつ), meaning ‘first snow to settle on a mountain’

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Tom Fay

1 year

Kita-dake (3193m) in the South Japan Alps - one side of the mountain perfectly clear all day, the other side just a continuous sea of clouds

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Tom Fay

2 years

Absolutely brutal solo climb of Mt Asahidake (2291m), the highest mountain in Hokkaido. Due to strong winds the ropeway was stopped, making it even longer and tougher. The few other climbers gave up because of the severe cold and wind, so I was the only person to reach the top!

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Tom Fay

2 years

I asked my neighbours if they have any plans for hanami (literally ‘flower viewing’, but usually referring to cherry-blossom), and they said ‘no, because living in the countryside everyday is hanami’. Fair point.

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Tom Fay

1 year

Sunrise panorama from the highest point in the Japan Alps

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Tom Fay

4 months

Rainy season evenings in rural Japan

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Tom Fay

1 year

The sounds of summer at dawn in the Japanese countryside

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Tom Fay

2 years

This 100-year old house in my village will be torn down later this year to make way for a brand new home; hope I can at least rescue some of the furniture and interior fittings…

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Tom Fay

3 months

A few shots from the last week working in Niigata, including Sado Island - a paradise for lovers of countryside views and traditional Japanese houses

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Tom Fay

3 years

Went hiking up a remote mountain on a very bleak winter’s day and a random dog led me all the way up to the summit and back

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Tom Fay

8 months

I went to Tokyo, but didn’t spend much time in the city - instead I climbed Mt. Kumotori (2017m), Tokyo’s highest mountain, where the upper reaches are still deep in the throes of winter. The mountain huts here are open all year, so it’s a great one or two day hike anytime.

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Tom Fay

2 years

My office view - in Kamikochi for a very brief work trip this weekend, but I just want to go climb those mountains

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Tom Fay

2 years

It’s been a while since I’ve done a house update; overall, things are progressing nicely. Main change in this part of the house is the wooden flooring which replaces the old rotten tatami. All doors etc are the originals, just spruced up a bit

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Tom Fay

2 years

I don’t usually make a habit of photographing grubby public toilets, but this one in Wakayama has some of the best views I’ve ever seen from a urinal

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Tom Fay

1 year

After one year living in the Japanese countryside it finally happened - got up from bed, felt something tickling my hair and on the back of my neck, flicked whatever it was away and it turned out to be a medium-sized wriggling centipede. A mildly disturbing event.

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Tom Fay

1 year

August 11th is Mountain Day in Japan (a national holiday), so here are a few pics of some well-known Japanese mountains to celebrate (top marks to anyone who can name them all) #山の日

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Tom Fay

7 months

I think the most life changing thing about buying a house in the countryside is all the time spent in the garden - planting vegetables, cutting grass/wood, and countless other odd jobs. I honestly can’t remember what I did with all my free time when living in an apartment…

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Tom Fay

3 years

Shrine buried under metres of snow near the summit of Hakusan (2792m), one of Japan’s three holy mountains. Camping up here was just about the coldest I’ve ever been in my life.

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Tom Fay

3 months

Went to Niigata for work, but found time to climb a mountain. Mt Echigo-Komagatake (2003m) is a remote peak and the trail I took is rarely used - I saw no other people over 2 days. Did encounter snakes, spiders and something large and bear-like, which I scared off by shouting!

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Tom Fay

3 years

My closest bear encounter while hiking in the Japan Alps. The guy in the photo passed me without heeding my warning that there was a bear on the trail up ahead, he soon scarpered back though.

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Tom Fay

1 year

There isn’t much true wilderness in Japan, but the long hike to Mt. Tomuraushi (2141m) in the middle of Daisetsuzan National Park (Hokkaido) certainly feels incredibly wild and remote

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Tom Fay

3 years

Today (May 4) is Greenery Day in Japan, so here is some Japanese greenery

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Tom Fay

3 years

Mt. Daisen (1709m) is the highest mountain in western Japan’s Chugoku region, and a completely different beast to climb in winter, when it transforms into a spectacular alpine monster. The true summit can only be reached by navigating this knife-edge ridge to the top. #大山 #鳥取

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Tom Fay

2 years

Is this Japan? Tottori’s sand dunes look like another world

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Tom Fay

2 years

The Japanese Alps in summer are fairly glorious

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Tom Fay

1 year

The owner of a nearby akiya (empty house) which is soon to be demolished gave me this old chair - it’s now found a new home on my engawa. Luckily I also had a round blue cushion which is the perfect fit👌🏻

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Tom Fay

8 months

After a week of wet and cold weather, it’s nice to see the old plum tree blooming and have the windows open

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Tom Fay

10 months

Back in Japan now, but missing the moody mountains of Wales a little bit

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Tom Fay

3 months

During the daytime in rural Kyoto it is too hot for doing anything much outside, so dusk and dawn are the best times for countryside strolls

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Tom Fay

2 years

Looking out from the back door of the house - feels like spring has arrived in southern Kyoto

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Tom Fay

4 months

My morning view

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Tom Fay

3 years

A few more finds from recent rummages through the ‘new’ house

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Tom Fay

4 months

Finalising the purchase of a few of the small fields next to my house - will have over 1000sqm of land when it’s done. Lucky that it has been a relatively straightforward process, as I hear it can be tricky to do in some regions (if you’re not a registered farmer)

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Tom Fay

3 months

Sunrise from high up in the mountains of Niigata, Japan

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Tom Fay

1 year

Autumn garden update - the yuzu tree has gone into complete overdrive and I have more yuzu than I know what to do with. Poor year for persimmons though. Garlic went in a month ago; will be planting my onion crop this weekend (although expect to lose most of them to monkeys)

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Tom Fay

1 year

No matter how much time I spend in the mountains, I never get bored of seeing 雲海 (a sea of clouds). In fact, getting up high enough to be above the clouds gives you the best chance of viewing the notoriously shy Mt Fuji during the summer months

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Tom Fay

2 years

Fully intend on spending most of Golden Week sat here on the engawa reading and listening to the sounds of nature

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Tom Fay

1 year

Found the biggest caterpillar I’ve ever seen munching on my tomato plant - any idea what this is exactly (and what it will turn in to)??

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Tom Fay

2 years

Winter scenes from a wintery week in southern Kyoto

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Tom Fay

1 year

Has anyone else noticed the proliferation of barely-legible and seemingly AI-generated guidebooks on Amazon lately? This ‘bestseller’ has hundreds of 5-star reviews, but reading the most recent (and genuine) reviews reveals a very different story…

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Tom Fay

1 year

Just an innocent man on a normal mountain

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Tom Fay

2 years

Sorry Arashiyama, but the bamboo forest behind my house is better than yours

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Tom Fay

11 months

I don’t fly like a normal person - always spend almost the entire flight looking out the window and studying the landscape while following the route on the flight tracker (and listening to podcasts at the same time). Any other geography nerds weird like me?

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Tom Fay

3 years

House update: - outside toilet (the building next to the mikan tree) is in a terrible state so will be torn down - going to salvage and hopefully restore some of the interior furniture - initial plans made to remodel inside but will try to preserve main features and character

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Tom Fay

9 months

You know you’ve got a monkey problem when you come home to a chilling scene of utter carrot massacre, and when you start finding carrots on your roof

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Tom Fay

4 months

It’s Kyoto, but not as (most) people know it. I don’t think I would ever want to live in Kyoto city itself, but the rural parts of the prefecture are as green and beautiful as anywhere in Japan

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Tom Fay

3 years

Snowy mountains stretching as far as the eye can see, across northern Kyoto and Shiga

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Tom Fay

3 years

My little Totoro house is slowly making progress…

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Tom Fay

1 year

My office and view for the day, as I feverishly try to finish writing my next book. #writerslife #writerscommunity

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Tom Fay

2 years

There is nowhere in Japan with more dramatic mountain scenery than high up in the Northern Alps

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Tom Fay

11 months

Just about warm enough to have the back door open this morning

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Tom Fay

2 years

Frosty morning trying to catch heat from the sunlight of the engawa, whilst hiding under the kotatsu (heated table)

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Tom Fay

3 years

Spent a few days just before Christmas doing some writing work in Kozushima, one of the lesser-visited Izu Islands just a few hours from Tokyo. Beautiful little island, and one of only two places in the whole of Japan designated as an International Dark Sky Park 🌠🌌

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Tom Fay

3 years

My recent reading has mostly consisted of 19th century travelogues of early foreign ventures into Japan - all overwhelmingly ‘of their time’, but fascinating to see glimpses of the old Japan peppered with much that seems very familiar. Anyone have any other good recommendations?

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Tom Fay

3 years

After a long and snowy winter, this weekend marks the official opening of Kamikochi, the beautiful mountain resort in the heart of the Northern Alps (Nagano prefecture).

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Tom Fay

2 years

One of Japan’s most spectacular natural wonders - drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, which gathers along the coast of northeast Hokkaido from around January to March

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Tom Fay

1 year

The view from home this evening, after the storm had passed

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Tom Fay

2 years

The beauty of Hokkaido

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Tom Fay

3 years

A few shots from the farmhouse before the pros come in next month to make a start on the big jobs (roof, walls and floors)

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Tom Fay

3 years

Various angles of Mt Yari-ga-take (3180m), the ‘Matterhorn’ of Japan. Located deep in the heart of the North Alps, at least a full day of hiking is required to reach this famous peak from any of the approach routes. #japan #alps #mountains #山 #槍ヶ岳

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Tom Fay

7 months

The local shrine’s enormous cherry tree is in full bloom, but barely anyone comes to look at it

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Tom Fay

9 months

Northern Kyoto got a massive dump of snow a few days ago, so naturally, I had to get myself up there - did some snowshoeing and visited an amazing sauna in a renovated kominka deep in the mountains; was great to cool off in the river and dive in the snow afterwards

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Tom Fay

2 years

Serious autumn vibes in the mountains along the Niigata/Nagano border

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Tom Fay

7 months

The sakura is doing a good job of hanging on this year, well after full bloom - this on a nondescript Osaka backstreet

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Tom Fay

1 year

With the summer hiking season in the Japan Alps not far away, be aware that camping is no longer the super-budget option it used to be - some campgrounds are charging up to ¥2000 to pitch a tent, plus ¥2000 per person (up from around ¥500 total pre-covid)

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Tom Fay

1 month

Lovely morning at the Bihoro Pass above Lake Kussharo in eastern Hokkaido

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Tom Fay

2 years

Morning light and rainbow on the Nishikama ridge (North Japan Alps)

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Tom Fay

1 year

Spent most of the summer finishing work on my next book, the most comprehensive English-language guidebook to Hokkaido (due spring 2024, Bradt Travel Guides). Goes in-depth on the history, Ainu, wildlife and little-visited corners of the island. Preorder in the usual places now!

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Tom Fay

1 year

Despite the near-summer temperatures this weekend, around the house it is looking distinctly autumnal now

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Tom Fay

3 years

Packed most of the stuff I need for some solo winter camping deep in the snowy mountains of northern Kansai. No screens, people, warmth or comfort for a few days, can’t wait!

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Tom Fay

2 years

A few days in and around Sapporo, one of the world’s great snow cities @visit_sapporo

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Tom Fay

3 months

The end of a long and hot summer day. The narrow lane next to the house only leads to a small, little-visited shrine, so there is almost never any traffic. Very different to when I used to live next to a busy road in Osaka - one of my main reasons for escaping the city

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Tom Fay

3 years

A mountain hut with a view - sunrise at Kita-dake sanso in the South Japan Alps #japan #alps #mountfuji #mtfuji #hiking #trekking #travel #富士山

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Tom Fay

2 years

My local village cosmos flower fields

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Tom Fay

3 years

Moody evening strolls around Zao Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture. The steam in the air from all the hot springs gives everything a dream-like quality

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Tom Fay

1 year

The cosmos flowers in the garden are starting to bloom, signaling that autumn is finally on its way

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Tom Fay

1 year

Typhoon No.2 has arrived here in southern Kyoto; not much wind so far but a lot of rain. Near my house, the small river which usually flows in front of this shed has risen by a couple of metres and completely flooded the field behind.

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Tom Fay

6 months

Living in a world of green. When I eventually become a complete hikikomori-like hermit, this is where you’ll find me

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Tom Fay

3 years

One of my favourite view points in Shiga Prefecture, Mt. Shizugatake. This small peak was the site of an ancient samurai battle, and lies wedged in-between Lake Biwa and the much smaller Lake Yogo to the north. It is also Kansai’s unofficial ‘snow country’! #滋賀 #琵琶湖

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Tom Fay

2 years

Spent a few hours hunting for takenoko (bamboo shoots) in the forest next to the house - quite an addictive springtime activity

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Tom Fay

2 years

Sakura season has been spectacular this year, still almost in full bloom in my little corner of Kyoto

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Tom Fay

4 months

Copies of my new Hokkaido guidebook arrived this week, and they look great! The book is now available to buy in all the usual places 👍🏻👍🏻

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Tom Fay

3 years

Now is the perfect time to start planning hiking trips to Japan for this summer or next - so check out my guidebook for all the info you need (available online in all the usual places) #japan #hiking #mountains #trekking #adventuretravel #alps

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@T_in_Japan

Tom Fay

2 years

Found my first mamushi (Japanese pit viper) on the property - the old guys around here recommend killing them on sight, but I definitely won’t be doing that. Just left it to happily slither under a woodpile 🐍🐍

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Tom Fay

1 year

Crazy skies over Lawson last night

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