Carol Kavanagh (Tokyo)
As an English language teacher in Tokyo, I try to travel as much as I can during the school holidays. This winter break was no different. I wanted to experience something to help me escape from the intense city life that Tokyo throws at you. Deciding a temple stay in Fukui would be the perfect way to spend my Christmas, I booked an overnight temple stay at Eiheiji for Christmas night. This Buddhist temple dates back to 1244 and is a glorious hidden gem, high in the misty mountains. It was the afternoon when I arrived on Christmas day and a pleasant, English-speaking monk greeted me. He demonstrated how I should act and meditate and how, if I looked like I was failing at this
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