Mimuroto-ji is known as the “Flower Temple,†so it’s a great place to visit during blooming season. Although the gardens managed to look nice even at the ending-edge of winter, my personal recommendation would be to visit during May or especially June, for the blooming of their spectacular ajisai (hydrangea) garden (containing ten-thousand flowers in…
So, you might have met him on the train, at the supermarket (no comment *guilty look*), at work (no comment, again), at the gym, walking home from the movies, at the movies, at your Soho hair salon, while shopping for that ‘must have’ scarf to match that ‘needed to have’ sweater you bought last year,…
Bringing you yet another yatsuhashi instalment of The Mochi Diaries, this is Chapter 4: Haru Yatsuhashi 春八ã¤æ©‹. Although the sakura have come and gone, spring is certainly in the air and all over Japan at the moment (my hayfever can attest to that) and so during a recent trip to Osaka I decided to…
Oh the great outdoors! As it finally starts to get to a reasonable temperature (for what – about 3 weeks?) I find my eyes drifting towards the mountains (I’m a country lass, for now at least) and my feet itching to bound upwards. I used to hate my parents for dragging me out walking when…
The (in)famous Takarazuka Revue is something everyone should experience once in their Hyogo career. If, like me, your Japanese is limited to daily pleasantries, fear not, just choose a story you vaguely know the plot of. It might help (a bit). Revue performers all train for the first two years of their seven year…
 At the start of February I dragged my hands from under the kotatsu just long enough to click ‘buy’ on flights to Okinawa as a congratulations to myself for surviving my first Japanese January. I have just returned from said weekend bringing the sun with me (you’re welcome) and thought it only fair to…
Now I’m well aware that dango and mochi aren’t exactly the same thing, but they are both made from mochiko (糯粉; rice flour) and I’d like this segment to cover a wide array of omiyage and traditional Japanese sweets! Residents claim that Okayama was the original setting of the Japanese fairytale of Momotaro and subsequently…
Break ups are evil. Whether it’s been a long-term thing or that bit shorter, but accompanied by high hopes, deciding that enough is enough, or worse, having someone decide that for you, is one of the least entertaining things you can do with another person. You may know, in your heart of hearts, that…
Once, a few years ago, another friend of the eco-friendly prerogative asked me which I would rather pay for, organic food or local food. My instant reaction was to say local. When comparing the carbon footprints of organic food that was transported from a far-off place to local food grown using non-natural fertilizers and insecticides,…