When I moved to Japan in August 2018, I came with a firm belief that I was going to fully immerse myself with the Japanese community...
It is a somewhat curious experience walking through the streets of the Bikan old merchant district in Kurashiki, the second largest city in Okayama Prefecture....
Everything is on the formal side. From smart suits (everyone more or less wears the same black one) to set phrases that are used for...
Kanazawa may not be a big city, but notable things do happen. There’s a jazz festival in the fall, as well as a sake festival...
No. 44, Steven Moya, swaggered up to the plate. At nearly 6’5”, he towered over his teammates. He eyed the pitcher, and brought the bat...
Spring is now in full flush here in Tokyo, which sadly means that the sakura season is coming to an end. Soon the streets will...
A few days ago on April 9, after the entrance ceremony at the high school my younger son is attending, I decided to take advantage...
There are only a few weeks out of the year when people all over Japan get out and enjoy what is called hanami (花見), or...
As Japan prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, there has been much attention to how the country will handle the influx...
I have recently become the proud owner of a Japanese driver’s license! Getting this document was incredibly complicated and riddled with tons of unexpected elements throughout....
Progress was slow, but no one seemed to mind. This was a festival, and people were in a good mood. As the purple-robed Shinto...
What is a mikoshi and what is Mayumi Mikoshi? A mikoshi (or omikoshi) is a “portable shrine parade” where a small palanquin shrine is...