Among the coolest things Ken and I did together was a talk about the Vietnam War to the congregants of Toko-ji Zen Buddhist Temple in Amakusa.

From Yatsushiro, an hour's ferry boat ride took us to Amakusa, a group of 120 islands (only six of which are inhabited) off the Kyushu mainland and part of Kumamoto Prefecture.

And when the country you visit is Japan, it can feel otherworldly, but nevertheless I must reiterate that you should not underestimate it.