Blog

When I’m not producing content for my clients, I write and take photos about my life in Japan for fun and post the stories here.

These Jeans from a Recycled Clothing Shop in Japan are Just Peachy

My wife uncovered a treasure in our neighborhood thrift shop: a perfect fit pair of Momotaro Jeans made in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.

Get Outta Town! 5 Japan Destinations for Cherry Blossoms Better than Kyoto and Tokyo

With cherry blossom season the most popular for tourism to Japan, here are some alternative spots to enjoy hanami outside of crowded Tokyo and Kyoto.

Ginza Sony Park – An Architecture Driven Community and Art Space

While many companies in Japan give lip service to community space and sustainability, Sony delivers it in one of the most expensive real estate areas in the world.

Tokyo Museum and Park Guide – Northern Tokyo

Northern Tokyo, often overlooked by tourists, offers unique attractions like Rikugien and Kyu-Furukawa Gardens. Its charm lies in walkable areas, peaceful surroundings, and hidden cultural gems.

Tokyo Museum and Park Guide – The Edogawa Area

The area east of the Sumida River offers an eclectic mix of history, traditional and modern art museums and one of Tokyo’s best Japanese gardens.

A Guide to the Eclectic World of Tokyo’s Museums and Parks

Whether you are a museum and park lover or just need something to different to do in Tokyo, this guide to Tokyo’s museums and parks has you covered.

Tokyo’s Grutto Pass – A Bargain for Museum Lovers With Many Caveats

No doubt that Tokyo’s Grutto Pass looks like a bargain for museum and park lovers. But is it really? It depends on your travel style.

Where’s The Beef? Discover the Kobe You Never Knew

If Kobe Beef is all you know about Kobe, there are much better reasons to see this miraculous city for yourself. It boasts modern architecture, historical quarters, jazz influence, and a rich sake production history. Ever resilient, Kobe has rebuilt itself after the devastating 1995 earthquake, offering much more beyond its culinary fame.

Forget Kyoto and Tokyo – The 5 Best Alternative Cities for First Time Visitors to Japan

While Kyoto chokes on tourists, countless other cities and regions of Japan that are equally charming, beautiful or historic remain virtually ignored. Here are 5 amazing cities in Japan other than Kyoto and Tokyo that are easily accessible even to first-time visitors to Japan.

Gohime – The Shogun’s Daughter Who Became A Christian

Discover the story of how Gohime, daughter of the Japanese warlord who first made Christianity illegal in Japan, became a Christian herself.

Workation – The Key to the Recovery of Japanese Tourism

What is workation in Japan and how will it help the Japanese tourism economy recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19 on foreign tourism to Japan?

On Becoming a Tokyo – Kyoto Commuter

As I have been in negotiations for a full-time position at a company I have been freelancing for, I have been "practicing" to be a full-time worker again after 8 years of freelance work. One of the perks already was joining the company for a social gathering in Kyoto...

Papa’s Got a Brand New (Canvas) Bag

Tracking down the Japanese company that made my favorite canvas briefcase bag was not easy, but the satisfaction of a owning a new bag was worth the effort.

Hello Again, 2020

With the state of emergency triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic lifted across all of Japan as of yesterday, is it too late to salvage the year 2020?

Disappearing In Japan

Preserving a slice of history in my own neighborhood – photos of Showa era buildings that are being torn down in the name of progress.

A Time To Grow

I’ve wished my life wouldn’t pass me by so quickly, that I would have time for myself. And now that my wish in some twisted way has come true, why am I not doing the things that I always said I would?

The Green Mile – A Long Road of Practicing Tea Ceremony

What the world’s worst tea ceremony student has learned through practicing tea in Japan, and it isn’t about tea at all.

4 Personalities That Can Thrive in Tokyo

Many people in the world dream of living in Tokyo. Do you have the personality type that can thrive in Tokyo?

Blooming Alone In Tokyo

Why risk gathering in crowds to enjoy cherry blossoms in Japan? It seems every neighborhood has a hidden gem of a place waiting to be discovered where one can enjoy Spring sakura.