When people think of ancient Japan, many first think of the former capital city, Kyoto. Even many of the Japanese I meet, when I mention that I enjoy visiting historic places, one of the first questions I’m asked…
Two Warbirds in One Little Museum
The first flying Zero to call Japan home in 70 years has come to Kanoya, in the far south of Kyushu. Flying or not, Japanese warbirds are a rare breed. They were never produced in the same numbers as…
Bargello: A Medieval Frame for Renaissance Art
Painted, sculpted, constructed, there is an overabundance of impressive art, art that is part and parcel to the history and existence of the town. The Uffizi and it’s never ending halls, the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and the Galleria del’Accademia, which…
Hamamatsu Castle: A Missed Opportunity
In my last post, I wrote about the charming castle they rebuilt in Kakegawa. As it turns out, the next city down the line towards Nagoya, Hamamatsu, also has a rebuilt castle. Hamamatsu castle, however, is on the opposite…
Take Flight Into the Past
Kanoya, in the far south of Japan’s southernmost main island, is a rather inconvenient location for an air museum. It’s more than 500 miles from Tokyo and getting there via public transport requires taking a Shinkansen bullet train to the…
Kakegawa – A Charming Castle Town
If you take the Shinkansen toward Nagoya, somewhere in Shizuoka you will pass through a small city called Kakegawa. For most people, the Japanese included, it is just a minor stop on the way to bigger and better things.…
Ft. Meade is Rather Inconvenient for European Tank Lovers, Isn’t It?
For those living in the Old World, visiting Ft. Meade’s small post museum to see the ultimate World War I heavy tank, besides the TOG II*, would be a bit of a trip. As mentioned the Mark VIII was an…
Mark VIII: Joint Tank Designed to Help End War to End War
This tank has been or will be moved to the US Army’s Armor & Cavalry Collection at Ft. Benning, which is not open to the public. Today’s Joint Strike Fighter is an example of the modern push to have militaries…