Exploring Culture, Week by Week
There’s been a bit of hand-wringing the past year or so in Japan about the state of Arcades, or Game Centers as they are called here. Arcades have slowly been closing, but with the pandemic, it seems an alarming number of iconic Tokyo arcades have begun closing their doors. What exactly is going on here? […]
Read More Disappearing Iconic Arcades in JapanIt’s been a while since the last update, but we’re back and fully vaccinated. Let’s start with that, shall we?
Read More What It’s Like to Get The Covid Vaccine in JapanBecause no country has a monopoly on terrible ideas.
Read More No Mask Picnic Day in JapanCapitalism 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 […]
Read More Japan’s GoTo Travel Campaign and CoronavirusThe day has finally arrived! After first hearing about this in Spring, it only took until June for my wife and I to receive our masks from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe! Well, not from him directly, but from a government initiative to provide each household in Japan with two reusable masks to assist with keeping […]
Read More Life in Japan With Covid-19: Government-issued Masks (Abe no Mask)A few weeks ago, Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency for a few choice provinces around Japan. Just last week, he expanded that to include the entire nation. So what does that mean for me and the rest of my community here in Japan?
Read More Life in Japan With Covid-19: State of EmergencyJapan has a mascot for just about anything and a global pandemic doesn’t stop those creative impulses. There was, earlier this year, the introduction of an official quarantine mascot who came out of the shadows of obscurity to shine once more. Additionally, an old Edo-era monster, known as a Yokai, has been gaining popularity for […]
Read More Life in Japan With Covid-19: Anti-Coronavirus Mascots?In my continuing series on living in Japan during the now pandemic-level spread of COVID-19, I wanted to take a look at the sociological and political toll its has taken here in Japan. Disclaimer: As an outsider, and someone not extremely proficient in the language or completely understanding of the culture, my opinions may contain […]
Read More Life in Japan With Covid-19: Government InactionThe point where I can calmly look on without much introspection and investigation has ended: There is so much going on in Japan in regards to the outbreak of Covid-19 (AKA the latest iteration of the Corona virus) that I can’t help but start digging around. How do the Japanese handle serious situations like these? […]
Read More Life in Japan With Covid-19: Hoarding