Mike Stiles
Language: English
English Editor / Blogger
My name is Mike and I am originally from the United States of America.
I grew up in a small town in Vermont State, USA. After graduating high school I went to art school in the historical city of Savannah, Georgia. After finishing college I moved to Florida where I worked for a series of multi-media and aviation training companies as a graphic artist.
I first visited Kobe, Japan back in spring of 2002. I made many more trips to Japan after that. It wasn’t very long before I decided to stay.
I now live in Matsumoto City. This is a “castle town” with a deep ancestral history, and fine art tradition that continues to this day. The surrounding farms, countryside and snow-capped Japanese Alps are very peaceful and remind me of my childhood in Vermont.
Yet the small city atmosphere of downtown Matsumoto is very upbeat and exciting, with its many festivals, cultural attractions, museums and outdoor activities available all year around.
