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A Tale of Two Baths - Make it stand out A hearty soak (not Biwa-no-yu) https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/an-audience-in-kamakura monthly 0.5 2022-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/d9d320f1-2d80-4f7d-b6fb-1a4a2ab54812/The+masses+arrive.jpg Walking on Earth - An Audience in Kamakura - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/fc2de05b-42cf-4bdb-bf74-3c9ed276822c/Amitabha.jpg Walking on Earth - An Audience in Kamakura - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/7911d1eb-30f1-471f-b6f2-8e3d66ef666a/Questionable+posture.jpg Walking on Earth - An Audience in Kamakura - Make it stand out Questionable posture https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/ontake-satomiya-shrine monthly 0.5 2022-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218488412-UE8L5WD3RLTL7PNXCMIB/Shrine+Gate.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Satomiya Shrine Gate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218499594-CAX000VXJY6KAW92UYQV/Flags+on+the+way+up.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Flags along the ascent https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218563189-6PJBYSLUV5A5VWEX6EYV/Stone+steps%2C+circa+1800s.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Stone steps laid in the 1800s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218921510-9MCWDHAYLKWNK6R1WFGA/Fudo-Myo.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Fudo-myo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218948784-WGDNHAEXMDXWTHQ16MIG/Dragon.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Fudo's dragon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651218935512-19J3OI8XJR06WPM8US2P/Sunrise+behind+Fudo-myo.jpg Walking on Earth - Ontake Satomiya Shrine - Fudo-myo facing east https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1651317385590-5GG0JUGRCI1NQZIY931N/Canopy+View.jpg Walking on Earth - 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Old Calendar, New Beginnings - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/onbashira-2022 monthly 0.5 2022-04-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/3081cf6f-0fd0-4749-8f12-ad6f69310311/8.jpg Walking on Earth - Onbashira 2022 - Make it stand out Tateonbashira — Standing of the pillar: By Emi Yamazaki (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/520fb018-29f3-42e9-aa0b-c4264ad43d83/y0064.jpg Walking on Earth - Onbashira 2022 - Make it stand out Kiotoshi — Coming down the mountain: By Emi Yamazaki (2016) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/38ba1325-19b5-4b57-a7df-84123ffc61ca/13607004_1762446050699429_2687531420473002123_n.jpg Walking on Earth - Onbashira 2022 - Make it stand out Satobiki — Heading to the shrine: By Emi Yamazaki (2016) https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Nature monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Zen monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Traditional+Culture monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Tradition monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Onbashira monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Poetry monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Seasons monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Mindful+Japan+Tours monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Walking+Tours monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Mindfulness monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/International monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/category/Non-violence monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/COVID-19 monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/Festivals monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/Tradition monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/Onbashira monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/Suwa monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/walkingonearthmain/tag/The+Pillar+Festival monthly 0.5 https://www.chriswgladden.com/poetry daily 0.75 2025-02-11 https://www.chriswgladden.com/poetry/the-fawn monthly 0.5 2022-09-30 https://www.chriswgladden.com/poetry/in-the-aftermath monthly 0.5 2022-03-30 https://www.chriswgladden.com/poetry/hokusais-peaks monthly 0.5 2022-03-30 https://www.chriswgladden.com/poetry/on-social-change monthly 0.5 2022-03-30 https://www.chriswgladden.com/home daily 1.0 2025-03-17 https://www.chriswgladden.com/about daily 0.75 2025-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/4fffce9c-c9f0-4b4b-a880-d25d8d7bf338/Chris+W+Gladden%2C+Med.jpg About - About Originally from Southern New England's Connecticut River Valley (USA), I’ve lived in central Japan’s Nagano uplands since 2004 and am a permanent resident of Japan. The cross-cultural perspective of my anthropology studies, extensive travels, and long familiarity with Japanese culture all inform my work. The One Heart—my first novel—is a story of community and environmental peril set amid Onbashira, one of Japan’s most ancient and dangerous celebrations. I have led walking tours in central Nagano since 2017. In January of 2025, I launched Mindful Japan Tours, the next step in my efforts to help travelers explore the region in a more connected way. I also created and continue to manage the inbound travel sites www.otakiexperience.com and www.onbashirafestival.com. Alongside guiding and writing, I have years of experience in freelance Japanese to English translation, primarily in travel, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism. In October 2022 our daughter Hana came into the world. These days, I spend most of my non-work time dadding and learning to be a dad. We currently live in Matsumoto, a historic castle town in central Nagano at the foot of the Northern Japanese Alps. I’m always glad to hear from people potentially interested in working together. Feel free to get in touch! * Shizuka Gladden or I have taken all photos on this site, unless otherwise credited * Profile photo credit: Yuki Koshi https://www.chriswgladden.com/contact daily 0.75 2025-02-11 https://www.chriswgladden.com/writingprojects daily 0.75 2025-06-01 https://www.chriswgladden.com/translation daily 0.75 2025-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/d7899bdf-4248-4d7d-9521-72c7ecba0f33/IMG_20220329_142345.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/fc2de05b-42cf-4bdb-bf74-3c9ed276822c/Amitabha.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/b3e04e18-11a0-4109-be99-97c853c2db4a/IMG_20210530_111635.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/1676793430654-DL03Z0GXUS74N9W5NNQL/unsplash-image-5ZnS3wK6sUg.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/7986ab01-26a5-4e39-9d3c-b1c379c25522/DSC03300.jpg https://www.chriswgladden.com/walking-tours daily 0.75 2025-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61f66a397ddece58c9ccfc42/b2752c8f-5d78-4f9f-acbd-13b80276da5b/Mindful+Japan+Tours