Our cherry blossoms may have been here in an instant, gone with a flash, but if you missed out on Yabu’s thousand-year-old sakura blooms, you can still get your ancient (but still going strong) flora on in the Yamasaki (Shiso) area early in May. Shiso’s thousand-year-old wisteria is a beautiful sight to behold. Typically, the…
I love this style of cooking in Japan. It is wonderful to all sit around the hot pot and enjoy cooking and eating together. This dish’s name comes from the sound of the meat or fish swishing in the water as it is cooked.
So, you wake up one day and you find yourself staring at a stranger in the mirror. And in addition to your eye-brows that need to be re-arched, a facial that is over-due and the nose job you have been contemplating, you also find yourself thinking a certain way, you are embedded with certain thoughts,…
Those of you who teach in elementary school have probably already gotten your first taste of “Hi, Friends!†– the book they’re using to replace good ol’英語ノート(EIGO NOTO). Hi, Friends!, which in no way lends itself to funny mock-titles, is dragging my elementary school kicking and fighting into the 21st century. Because while the book…
The lights are dim. Drinks litter the table. People are laughing and talking somewhere in the dark. Suddenly, the TV screen changes and music swells – it’s the opening of  “My Heart Will Go On.†Someone hands me a microphone. “Ganbatte!†excited voices shout, chuckling, waiting. Ugh. We’ve all been there. Karaoke is an integral…
Shiso – the biggest little city in Harima region Literally, that is. On a map, Shiso looks like a massive entity, and on the ground, like the west end of nowhere. Famous for its lack of trains and its zealous JETs (right? RIGHT?), this sprawling countryside retreat actually means you are just a bus ride…
Besides being famous for onions, puppets, whirlpools, and the first island of Japan, Awaji Island is known for their elaborate flower gardens. Since it’s spring, my friends and I decided to pack up and check out Awaji Hanasajiki, which is just one of the many parks. This place is accessible by car with plenty of…
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When I decided to get my Japanese license I did some investigating and found out that the closest location for Himeji people is in Akashi. Although you can get there by taking a train to Akashi and a bus that drops off directly in front of the driving center, my wife drove me there for my first attempt…