Last year I traveled to Hokkaido to see a zoo, the Asahiyama Zoo, and maybe take in a couple festivals. I mean who wouldn’t want to see an adorable penguin parade, right? But, it was one of the festivals that really made my frigid trip awesome. The 冬ã¾ã¤ã‚Š, or Winter Festival, occurs in the town…
This article is brought to you through a partnership between the Heart of Japan blog, a project by　the Hyogo International Association, and the Hyogo Times. Izushi is a castle town in northern Toyooka City known as “Little Kyoto†–a small town that is filled with traditional architecture, performances, festivals, and soba noodles. Without a…
Since sweeping back into power in December 2012’s lower house victory, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pursued a series of reforms aimed at keeping his increasingly marginalized country a tier-one power. Among these efforts, Abe’s plan for reviving the long-stagnant Japanese economy, dubbed “Abenomicsâ€, has received the most attention. In the past several months,…
As with the beginning of every new year, people everywhere look toward the future, hopeful that the year will be better and brighter than the last. Sadly in 2013 from January 16 to January 19 those hopes were cut short for 40 people when Algerian extremists attacked and overran the Tigantourine gas plant near In…
With February upon us it is time to celebrate the birth of famous suffragette leader, Anna Howard Shaw, on Anna Howard Shaw Day, or, as some people like to call it, Valentine’s Day. Like most Japanese appropriations of Western holidays, a sensation of “same same but different†permeates February 14 in the land of…
To stay, or not to stay? That was the question we recently asked ourselves. By now your papers are signed and handed in. For JETs choosing to re-contract, I offer my congratulations! I hope the incoming year will offer more unforgettable experiences. For JETs choosing to make the next big (and scary) step, CLAIR is…
Congratulations! You have made it through the coldest month of the year and hopefully only lost non-essential digits to frostbite. Whether you have decided to remain in Japan for a further year or not, at least decision time is over. This is of course a valid reason to celebrate and the third semester is the…
Back home I was a frequent gig-goer. I enjoyed summer festivals filled with music and moshpits. Since my move to Japan, the meaning of ‘summer festival’ has somewhat changed; cue yukatas and bon dances. But good music travels far, so I occasionally peruse the net hoping for familiar bands to fly to this side of…