Led by Rebecca Otowa, author of At Home in Japan and My Awesome Japan Adventure.

Get that blood flowing again—to your brain as well as your extremities—with a brisk walk followed by a writing-and-sharing session. We'll meet at Heian Shrine in Kyoto and take in the formal garden, which has a subtle beauty in winter and not too many people. Heian Shrine, itself, is a scale replica of Heian Palace, which was originally built in the late 8th century when the capital was moved to Heian-kyo (today's Kyoto).

Afterward, we'll walk (about 15 minutes) or cab it down to Tadg's Irish Pub in Kiyamachi Sanjo, for drinks and snacks. There, we'll each write a short piece about what we experienced, and then share it with the group.

Whatever genre is most comfortable for you—haiku, flash fiction, micropoetry, sonnet, a plain old paragraph, whatever. Join us for a civilized afternoon in Kyoto. If there is a little powdering of snow, so much the better!
 

Stipulations:
(1) Silence. No talking to anyone from entering until leaving the garden.
(2) No electronic devices to be used during the walk through the garden, with the exception of taking notes and/or photographs.
(3) No cheating—walk, experience, process and THEN write later!
 

Date: Sunday, March 1, 2015 ← (DATE CHANGED from Feb. 15 due to Kyoto Marathon!)
Meeting time: 1:00 pm (We should get back to Tadg's by 3 pm.)
Place: Meet at the main entrance of Heian Shrine, Okazaki Park, Kyoto ([url=http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/]http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/[/url])
Cost: 600 yen (garden entrance fee), minimum 1 drink and snack at Tadg’s
Reservations:  We recommend you contact us at SWET Kansai to ensure we reserve enough seats at Tadg's.
 

See you there! Don't forget your woollies, gloves and hat, not to mention writing materials.