Kyoto Stone Museum: Why You May Have Visited Without Knowing

If you’ve every visited Kyoto, there’s a very high probability that you’ve visited this museum and even looked upon its exhibits without being fully aware that you were. Confused? So was I until my eagle eye spotted the clue that would bust this case wide open!

The Trams of Hiroshima

Sometimes better known by its official name, the Hiroshima Electric Railway, the trams in Hiroshima has had a rough history: From a rocky beginning to a devastating loss to a difficult reconstruction, the tram survives today as a living, working part of the history of Hiroshima.

Mysterious Emoji 🎏📛➿🔰: Their Japanese Origins

Let’s face it: There are way too many emoji. There are also many that we see in the West that we may not have the context to understand, let alone use. Since I began living in the homeland of emoji, I have been able to decipher these emoji and now I am ready to share […]

Projection Mapping at Nijo Castle

I’ve seen a castle or two in my day, but Nijo castle was the one that got away. In March, I was fortunate enough to be able to see the projection mapping that has decorated the castle at night for years. It happens seasonally, sometimes in the summer, but this time in the spring. It […]

No Mask Picnic Day in Japan

Because no country has a monopoly on terrible ideas.

Resources About 3/11 Earthquake and Tsunami

This year marked the 10-year anniversary of the series of disasters that struck Fukushima: The earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent meltdown of Fukushima Dai-ichi’s reactor. There were and are many events going on in Japan and online that can help you to better understand and contextualize what exactly happened and how it has impacted Japan. I […]

Japan’s GoTo Travel Campaign and Coronavirus

Capitalism needs people spending money to work, but what happens when a global pandemic threatens to shut down commerce? What if your country isn’t experiencing it very harshly and you’re still suffering a slumping economy with businesses closing? Japan tested one possible solution to help its especially struggling tourism sector: The GoTo Travel campaign was […]

Japan and Earthquakes: A Brief Introduction

Japan is famous for a few key things: Mt. Fuji, Pokemon, anime, sushi, and in the realm of the unfortunate, earthquakes and tsunamis. Today, we’ll focus on the shaking earth that looms as an eerie specter over the land, how Japan is prepared for these sudden strikes, and what it’s like to be in them.

The Seven Eleven Japan Controversy

Seven Eleven is big business here in Japan. Serious business. People get real heated about their convenience stores, called conbini, and have their own allegiances. But this year, the year of our lord 2021, started out with something many Seven Elevenites could not stand for.

Nengajo: Japanese New Years Lotto Post Cards

Not to be confused with Ninjago, NENgajo are a curious tradition around the New Year that the Mrs and I have not really gotten into. This year, however, we found ourselves receiving some of these wonderful well-wishes from friends, coworkers, and even companies we made purchases from this year, prompting us to really see what […]