Discoveries from around the archipelago
Ah, here we are again, at another long weekend. Autumn is just replete with them though this one I never seem to get to celebrate. While my daughter has attended Japanese nursery school in the previous years, we never managed to be in town for the annual Sports Day festival. This year, she actually attended... Continue Reading →
A well-timed post from Courtney on the Christmas cakes that are everywhere right now! Ok, I realize that strawberries aren’t exactly special, or even native, to Japanese cuisine. But when winter arrives, I can’t help but think of those perfect strawberries laid out beautifully in their containers. And with strawberries, comes the arrival of Japanese... Continue Reading →
Well, my fellow Americans, you are probably just as confused as I am about the upcoming Japanese holiday on November 23rd. For us, Labor Day was celebrated back in early September. And you're probably all currently searching pinterest for the perfect turkey recipe for next Thursday's Thanksgiving feast. So what's the deal with this dual... Continue Reading →
By the time this entry publishes today (September 8th), I will be traveling through the night on my way to the United States for a three-week trip. Sadly, it's nearly impossible to see the moon from the airplane window, which means that I'll be missing out on this year's Tsukimi. Here's some information about the holiday from... Continue Reading →
Happy Setsubun, everyone! Did you throw your soybeans today? Setsubun is Japan’s spring festival, celebrated the day before the official first day of spring. The purpose of the holiday is to cleanse the house of the evil spirits of the previous year and purify the home for the year to come. To that end, a... Continue Reading →
'Tis the season ... of public holidays, that is. Just like it seems that every other Monday in autumn is a public holiday (and a day off 🙂 ), the weeks between the end of December and the beginning of January feel equally blessed with national celebrations. Today is one of my favorite days to... Continue Reading →
The leaves are still turning but my calendar is relentless in informing me that the holidays will be here all too soon. Thanks to a friend, I am inspired to give my family back home a variety of Japan's uniquely flavored Kit Kats. Knowing how long it can take to track those down, I had... Continue Reading →
What a hot, muggy, crazy week it's been! I started off this month thinking that August in Kyushu might not be so bad, certainly not as bad as August in Okinawa. Right? Right??? Unfortunately, the weather this week has been unrelenting, a constant 93 degrees or higher with humidity so thick it just sits on... Continue Reading →
My husband returned home this week after being away for nearly two months on a business trip. My "reward" for seven weeks of single parenting is a weekend away to explore more of Japan. (Hooray!) I'm currently up in Okayama and Kurashiki but will be back to the regular posting on Monday. In the meantime,... Continue Reading →
Whew, it's been a busy past few weeks! First a trip to Tokyo in late June and this week, a trip to Kumamoto in southern Japan. My family is prepping for a move within Japan and we hopped a plane the other day for a quick househunting trip. It was only as I was walking... Continue Reading →
