Not for the Galaxy, but still Useful: Hitchhiking in Japan During my latest travels in Fukuoka and Nagasaki, I met a fellow traveler from Australia at the hostel we were staying at. A few minutes into our conversation I realized the two of us had arrived at our destination by very different means. After…
 Naha            The capital (actually the prefectural seat, but that’s beside the point) of Okinawa has been an important center for the island from the time it was still the Ryukyu Kingdom. This kingdom had strong ties to both China and Japan until it was annexed by the latter in 1879. During World War…
It’s been hard to miss the growing attention given to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) over the past few months, but like so many things out there in the news related world, we may come to recognize the name without really having a clear idea of what it is or its purpose. Below are…
 “ ～aeâ€ï¼ˆï½ž å’Œãˆï¼‰is a popular type of vegetable dish in Japan that consists of blanched vegetables with a slightly sweet and nutty savoury dressing. The most popular version of this dish is probably　白和㈠(shiroae) which is a tofu and sesame dressing, usually mixed with blanched spinach. Other common combinations include green beans with sesame, and…
 On Saturday the 18th of April, thirty or so intrepid travelers and a handful of tenacious volunteers attempted to complete the first ever AJET Block 6 Car Rally. Months of careful planning and organization accumulated in one mammoth adventure all over Hyogo Prefecture. Dear reader let it be known that your author is not,…
What years were you on JET? Where did you live and teach? It was a long time ago, from 1996-1999. I lived near Gakuentoshi. Koryodai, Hazetani Oshibedani and Sakuragaoka were the schools I worked at. The shenanigans of the ninensei at Oshibendani still make me shudder. When did your interest in Japan, its…
After a teasing taste of warmer weather in March, the seemingly never-ending winter is finally gone and spring is well and truly upon us. April means sakura season, and as the craze sweeps across the nation, it turns everything in its path pink and sakura flavoured or scented. Although welcomed with less fanfare, April also…
             Though most think of Japan when they hear about cat cafes, the world’s first actually opened in Taipei in 1998. After the first opened in Japan, they’ve exploded in popularity. Now you can find them in most Asian countries and in a growing number of European and North American cities. Most are fairly similar….
 Every year thousands of foreign and local tourists alike flock to Sapporo, Hokkaido in early February for the famed Yuki Matsuri and boy are they in for a treat. Beginning in 1950 the festival has fast become one of Sapporo’s main attractions along with its world class ski slopes, the famed Ramen Alley, brilliant…