What is Hanami?

The term hanami gets thrown around a lot in Japan and conjures up different images for different people. The general gist is the same: You spread out a blanket and watch some flowers. The most popular time to hanami is usually end of March or early April when the cherry blossoms (sakura) come out for […]

My Best Nine of 2017

Every year, Instagram users can view their top nine liked posts and share them via the latest iteration of (year)bestnine.com. This year, I kind of fell off of the Instagram train, failing to post anything in November and December. However, I still like the collage I generated, as it contains a lot of memories and […]

Chichibu Shibazakura Festival

In my fair Saitama prefecture are many natural wonders, much to my delight. A mere 20 kilometers (12.5 miles, roughly) from my city is Chichibu, a city that is gaining more popularity with tourists as its natural wonders and festivals gain visibility. Getting there takes over an hour, due to having to go around several […]

Spring Blizzard

Snow so white that it glows blue under the gray-lit skies of something not quite night but certainly not the day nor twilight crushes underfoot as heavy sighs lament the hostile whims of their ancestral home. Composed 04/24/14 Author’s Note: Freak snow storms are common in winter here in Mongolia. I was told, apparently, these […]

Spring Fires

Spring is marked by many unfavorable natural occurrences in Mongolia, such as high winds, dust storms, and perpetual sandstorms in the Gobi. One man-made disaster happens quite frequently: fires. They aren’t accidents or anything of the such. They are controlled burns. Sometimes. One March morning I woke up and noticed my apartment smelling of smoke. […]

March Afternoon

The light is coy, dancing between clouds, making the ground blush. Flurries pushed by fickle winds, falling up we’re upside down. Dead grass free of ice, laconic hails of spring. Composed 03/10/14 Author’s Note: I haven’t seen this too often in Mongolia, but this was one of those days where the ground is too warm […]