Hallo! March is a funny time in the JET schedule. We’ve said teary goodbyes to those graduating, but have yet to welcome a new batch of [hopefully] eager learners. Many of us may have a lot of extra time on our hands which can result in hours of Kanji study, applying for jobs back in…
Adventures await! Did you love scavenger hunts as a kid? Were you a champion at hide-and-seek? Why not join Geocaching, a growing phenomenon ascribing to those interests. So, what is geocaching you may ask? It is a worldwide scavenger hunt made for the modern adventure-loving person! Using a GPS enabled device, players may search for,…
Our journey takes us next to Souji-ji, a temple on the north east side of Osaka-fu and the 22nd temple on the route if you go in numerical order. There is a forest walking trail connecting this temple to last month’s Katsuo-ji. Souji-ji is the size of an unassuming city temple, but once inside, you’ll…
Dear Ava, Right from the get-go I’ve been wary of “omiyageâ€. I hate shopping for birthday presents, and now I have to buy obligatory gifts for co-workers I barely even speak to? I do enjoy a good Tokyo banana when it’s left for me, but I would opt out in a blink of an eye…
Japan has a rich culture of stage performance, from kabuki, bunraku and rakugo, to the more modern Takarazaka revue. Now, in Kyoto, a new type of show is entertaining spectators at the weekends. The exceptional, non-verbal show GEAR is a treat for all ages. In the future, in a dilapidated toy factory, the repetitive lives…
Seeing in the New Year from a mountain top ‘Leisurely’. Yes, I distinctly remembered that particular adjective being mentioned. ‘Easy’, yes, I think ‘easy’ was there too. It was just a shade away from ‘strolling’. Half-way up a boulder-strewn mountain slope in the pitch-dark, elbows and feet grimly jammed into crevices in the slippery rock,…
I’m going to prepare you for Valentine’s Day this year. In Japan the whole day revolves around chocolate. This recipe can be made for friends, co-workers, boyfriends and girlfriends so you’re either making tomochoco (å‹ãƒãƒ§ã‚³), giri choco (義ç†ãƒãƒ§ã‚³) or for your own true love, honmeichoco (本命ãƒãƒ§ã‚³). Whoever it is, this recipe is easy to do…
Last February I ventured north to Hokkaido for the famed Yuki Matsuri. Admittedly the sculptures were very impressive, the snow slides worth their two hour queues and the atmosphere buzzing. But even though I am a snow-junkie, the festival is not something I feel the need to visit again. The local food, however, demands a…
Where are they now? In the January issue we featured three inspiring Hyogo alumni who are finding their feet immediately post-JET. This month, with the dreaded recontracting papers handed in, I thought it apt to think about the potential long-term effects of our time here. As such I spoke to my cousin Jane, from…