Traditional Japanese Tie-Dyeing (Shibori)

I was tempted to leave the title as “Traditional Japanese Dying,” but realized I didn’t want to mislead with a click-bait title. If you’ve ever seen traditional Japanese textiles with a blueish indigo dye, there’s a very high chance that it was perpared using the traditional dying technique known as Shibori. In a small city […]

Vanitoy Bagel: Bagels in Japan

Bagels are a unique baked good, if you stop and think about it. They have become very ingrained in many parts of American culture and society, so much so that we seem to have them mentally categorized as essential as bread. You see them everywhere and can enjoy them at the drop of a hat, […]

People Who Ruin Trains for Everyone

The train system here in Japan is probably the best I have ever encountered in the world. Its network is extensive, it’s easy to use, and it makes not having a personal vehicle not such a big deal. When talking about trains with those outside of Japan, they usually know about the high-speed bullet trains […]

Japanese Mascots (Yuru-kyara)

Everywhere you go in Japan, you’re sure to stumble into a sign, poster, or merchandise with a cute character emblazoned on it. There seems to be a mascot arms race here in Japan and with good reason: The right mascot can bring prestige, popularity, and a boatload of money with it. Let’s take a look […]

Cormorant Fishing (Ukai)

People have used animals to assist with hunting food for hundreds and thousands of years. They can even be used to assist in fishing. Cormorant fishing is the use of specially trained birds to help fisherman catch fish. It’s particularly famous around the Nagaragawa River in Gifu prefecture, near Gifu City. I was incredibly fortunate […]

Anthony Bourdain: Food For Thought

I was on the platform to return home from Ikebukuro to Saitama, scrolling through my podcasts to pick the right one to carry me through the length of the ride. I curiously tapped on Fresh Air, as I hadn’t checked out the latest episodes in about a week. The second on the list was titled […]

Traditional Ainu Clothing

The Ainu are the indigenous people of the Japanese and Russian isles, mainly in northeastern Honshu (the main island) and Hokkaido, the northern island. While visiting Sapporo, I happend to stumble upon an Ainu exhibit in the lobby of a fancy hotel. Not one to pass up the opportunity to learn something new about history, […]

Japan: A Paper Country

This isn’t to say that they are a country that is flimsy or easily destroyed by rain; I mean that Japan really loves its paper. A lot. It manifests itself in many ways that are a bit baffling and even exciting to foreigners. Let’s do a quick review of my own experience with paper pushing […]

Allergies in Japan

Spring can be a particularly challenging time in Japan. You’ll see people shedding their winter coats and donning surgical masks, carrying extra tissues, and tilting their heads back to refresh themselves with eye drops. Native and foreigner alike is afflicted by allergy season, but why? And is there anything you can do to relieve the […]

Even More Japanese KitKat Flavors

The sheer number of flavors seems to be never-ending. Just when I think I’ve figured out most of the flavors, I find something new and interesting to try. My quest to catalogue as many flavors as I can may have been a foolhardy one, but I must press on. I present to you the next […]