Sometimes it’s my birthday. This year, though I’d rather have lost a year and gone back to 21, I turned 23. Mom came to visit me in Tokyo, and we…
Harvesting Puppets and Liquor
When you think of Japan, agriculture might not be the first word that comes to mind. Considering the digital reach of Sony and Nintendo, or the global presence of Toyota,…
Frost might Crack the Trees and Split Rocks
It is undeniable that Japan has recently grown into a global tourism superstar. The numbers look tremendous on paper: arrivals increasing year after year, bringing money and energy into the…
The Japanese like strange things
What do you think this post will be about? Maybe you’re well read on cuisine and are thinking about the crime that is natto; sticky, slimy, and stinky. Or perhaps…
The Lost Province
It promised to rain South of Tokyo, for days on end; no break in the clouds, grey, cold, and miserable. The crowded capital itself too, already hectic with blue skies,…
“Somewhere with Beaches”
When I first started studying Japanese five years ago, my Dad, a slightly sceptical man, started funneling funds into a ‘just-in-case-he-doesn’t-give-up’ piggy bank. As the years passed, and it became…
My Private Island
Several weeks ago, when Indi was travelling the hill country of Northern Thailand and had left me to my own devices, I visited a lesser known island off the Coast…
From Izakaya to Digsite
Rebun is a small island off the Northern coast of Hokkaido, often compared to Scotland or Norway. Despite its sheer cliffs and green meadows, it’s mostly known for the more…
How we Gave Up on being Pilgrims
For a while now Indi has been talking about going on a pilgrimage. The hikes have been going great, goals reached, peaks climbed. So she wants to increase the challenge,…
Indi Tells a Story
The sky was blue and beautiful, a good day was in sight. Despite the poor sleep of our previous night, we were ready to hike up to Mount Gassan. The…