Weeble Wobble, Roly Poly, Okiagari Koboshi

You thought I was done talking about daruma? Do you even know me? Have you met me? I don’t think the discussion about daruma will ever end, to be honest. This one isn’t directly daruma (DD), but it is daruma-adjacent (DA). Let’s journey to Fukushima and investigate the balance boys and girls known as Okiagari […]

Seven Eleven versus Mitoshi Matsumoto

There’s been an epic struggle down in Osaka concerning convenience store chain Seven-Eleven and a franchisee, Mitoshi Matsumoto. It’s a delicious tale of corporate greed, concerned citizens, and flying kicks to stationary vehicles. It also sheds a small bit of light on the oftentimes poor working conditions that many Japanese workers face.

Why is Aizuwakamatsu Known as The Samurai City?

It’s a bold claim, but what happened here completely rewrote the trajectory of the warrior class in Japan and Japanese society as a whole. Let’s explore its fabled history together!

Hideyo Noguchi Sites in Fukushima

Hideyo Noguchi is one of the scientific masters of Japan, and his birthday is November 9th! His achievements were so important and revered in Japan that he adorns the 1000 yen bill (although, that will change in the future). He was born in Inawashiro, Fukushima, and both in his hometown and nearby Aizuwakamatsu are some […]

The Soul in Your Butt, According to Japanese Legend

Yes, you heard that correctly. This one was brought to my attention after watching a lore video about the popular game Elden Ring. This lead me down a series of twists and turns I was not anticipating, and neither will you!

Daruma Land

A whole land dedicated to Daruma? Yes, yes there is! Of course, I had to go out to Shirakawa in Fukushima to check out this newly built establishment!

Every Nippon Pro Baseball Stadium: Central League

My wife made a vow at the start of this year: To visit every Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB) stadium across Japan. We saved our money, made our travel plans, and set out on this journey together. Next up, let’s take a look at the stadiums in the Central League.

Every Nippon Pro Baseball Stadium: Pacific League

My wife made a vow at the start of this year: To visit every Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB) stadium across Japan. We saved our money, made our travel plans, and set out on this journey together. First up, let’s take a look at the stadiums in the Pacific League.

WTA Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis Finals 2022

I don’t typically watch sports on TV very often; I get very easily distracted. But plop me down in a stadium, and I could chill and watch sports for hours. That’s what happened with me and tennis as I found myself at the Toray Pan Pacific Open (TPPO) tennis finals this year.

Must-Eats in Nagoya: Ogura Toast and Tebasaki Chicken Wings

Nagoya has a bit of a boring reputation (there’s even an entire website dedicated to debunking this notion, to which I am very grateful). If you do find yourself without much to do in Nagoya, why not eat two iconic treats from the city?