title . introduction . about ikuno . journal . photos . recipes . links . email sabine Introduction The inspiration was simple: Leanne and Jim, Marnie, Sophia, Jeff, and countless other pioneers who paved a path in my mind to Japan. The reasons were many: A $1 000 000.00 student loan, a love of travel, culture and art, and an irrepressible desire to do something which would make me grow in a different direction. The process was long: I decided to apply to teach in Japan way back in 1997. I filled in the application in the fall of 2000. I found out I was accepted in the spring of 2001, and I packed my bags in July of 2001. The question was one: WHERE THE H*LL IS IKUNO? The answer is this: Almost smack dab in the middle of Japan, in the middle of Hyogo prefecture, there is a little town of 5000 people, one river, and countless trees nestled in the mountains. So, off I went...