About the Author:

Valerie Straayer is a graduate of Augustana College in Illinois. She spent her junior year on the school's "Asian Term." Students spend an entire semester traveling with professors to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and finally Hawaii (?) studying as they go. Upon completion of her studies at Augustana, Valerie took a position teaching English to junior high school students in rural Japan. She spent a total of two years living and working in Ota City, a couple hours north of Tokyo.

Random countryside along train to Ota

Rice fields are a common scene

Japanese homes in Gunma

Ota City View

Outside the Apartment

View from the balcony of the apartment

At the hot spring with other teachers

Practicing koto in spare time

Koto performance in full gar

Wacky shot at a local temple