Travel
Minamiaso Dome Houses, A Place of Peace and Healing, Reopens on June 1
One can’t help but spend a few moments admiring the fairytale world: dome-shaped lodgings resembling overturned bowl
Culture
Tokyo’s Memory Piano is Becoming a Hot Topic in Japan
Credit: Misaki Hashimoto YouTube Channel On a cloudy day in late September, I headed for the Tokyo Metropolitan Buildi
Culture
How I Got a Japanese Driver’s License in One Try
Well, actually, I got it in two. First, I had to go to the Japanese equivalent of the […]
Blog
Yamaguchi, the Hidden Gem of Southern Honshu
When you talk about the best places to go for sightseeing in Japan, a few names come to mind, […]
Travel
Ancient Scenery Gets New Audiences at Refurbished Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel
The Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel (Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture) is enveloped in chilly air as I walk through. After a
Travel
Trams Through the Blossoms: Discovering Tokyo on the Setagaya Line
(Second of Two Parts) (Read Part 1 at this link.) The second installment of this two-part […]
Travel
Trams Through the Blossoms: Discovering Tokyo on the Arakawa Line
(First of Two Parts) At its peak, Tokyo had an extensive public tram network which covered 213 kilometers of [&helli
Travel
Find 500 Years of History in Okayama’s Picturesque Kurashiki
It is a somewhat curious experience walking through the streets of the Bikan old merchant district in Kurashiki, the [
Blog
Moving to Japan: My Journey Begins in Fukushima
If you had told me a year ago that I would be performing on stage in a play where […]
Travel
Discovering Fukushima Sake at the Daitengu Brewery
In March 2018 I learned I was accepted into the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program, and my […]
Travel
Toyooka City’s Ankokuji Temple Is A Masterpiece in Autumn
When autumn sets in, a small temple surrounded by mountains in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is suddenly [&helli
Travel
Need a Break from Tokyo? Try the ‘Anti-Tokyo’ Oykot!
I often hear acquaintances — who are visiting Japan but haven’t made plans beyond staying in Tokyo […]