Introduction: Postscript

Before I start with actual journal entries, it might help to explain how exactly I decided to travel.

As some of you might know, Japan is one of the most expensive countries to tour.  I have known people to spend in excess of $1000 CAD within four days on only food and lodging.  I didn't quite want that, so I researched alternatives.  One was to stay at hostels, but those still would have set me back around 35 dollars a night and I preferred that money to go towards touring.  Another was to camp out in rural areas between cities, but proper campsites and accessible facilities were few and far between.  I was quickly running out of ideas.

Then I happened upon CouchSurfing.  The basic idea is that people should not have to pay for a safe - and comfortable - place to lay their head while visiting a country with which they are not familiar.  So hospitable hosts create profiles on the site and advertise their couch as a free place to spend a night or three.  Hosts are graded in relation to security, generosity, and overall personality.

Using Couchsurfing, I was able to spend a month in Japan for roughly $2000 CAD.  I was also exposed to lesser-known customs through my various hosts and taught new things concerning Japanese history and tradition.  For instance, I learned that locals still dressed in kimonos and yukatas for special occasions.  It was a sight to behold!

Staying at a CouchSurfer's home is like having your own tourism bureau - they have suggestions, give advice on train/bus schedules, and provide relevant literature to your interests.   The girl I stayed with in Kyoto had books on tea ceremonies and Shogunate architecture, as well as a brief history of Japanese art movements.

Not only do you save money, but you also make friends.  That's a win-win situation if ever there was one.