Okazaki

Being that I will be living in Okazaki for at least a year, I thought it best to research the city as much as possible. Interestingly enough, it isn't all that possible. A quick google search turned up a few webpages and maps, but not a single guidebook I have looked at has dedicated even a page to Okazaki. Lonely Planet is the only one that even has the city marked on the Nagoya area map. This is actually quite heartening to me, pointing to the fact that the city is a bit off the tourist path. While I will be a bit out of the way, I'll be close enough to Nagoya that I'll be able to travel around Japan quite easily. I believe Kyoto will be fairly easy to get too, if a bit pricy using the Shinkansen (bullet train).

Ironically I will be right down the street from where the 2005 World Expo is being held. On my previous vacation I left Japan a few days before the Expo began in March. The whole thing ends on September 25th. I am due to leave for Japan in 'Late September', which means I will more than likely get there just in time to see the Expo pack it up and call it quits! Bummer.