Happy New Year! The new year celebrations on a small island at the below Hiroshima called Miagima revolve around protecting against fire in the new year. After hiking up to the top of the island being careful of snakes, hornets and deer, I met some people who told me about the festivities in the evening and we hung around to watch flaming mayhem unfold as local groups and societies ran around with burning logs on the shoulders and everyone else lighting torches f...

Got up and left about 11. Got the bullet train (how evil does it Iook?!) and headed west to Hiroshima! I booked three nights here at big K's place to cover the new year and will move on after that. (Not related to Kadirs). Very excited to go hike up a famous hill-come-island tomorrow. Not sure how I will be celebrating nye but if in doubt I'll find some sake. Meanwhile my dorm-mates are friendly. 2 Canadians who have been to Taiwan and Seoul and a couple who met ...