Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Sakura season is upon us! While the somei yoshino are still just budding, the internet has been full of other cherry blossom flowers the past few weeks. So how does one tell just what kind of cherry tree they're enjoying? Use the handy guide below to help identify the various blossoms. Kawazuzakura Kawazuzakura One of... Continue Reading →
Happy spring! I know we technically have a few days left to winter, according to the calendar, but nobody's fooled here in Tokyo. The weather has been in the 60s (that's Fahrenheit, y'all - I'm still unapologetically American in my temperature scale) and the first cherry blossoms of the season were recorded to have opened... Continue Reading →
On the afternoon of March 11th, 2011, a massive earthquake struck off the coast of Tohoku in northern Japan. I was sitting at home in Okinawa, my newborn daughter sleeping nearby, when my husband called from somewhere in Southeast Asia. A bird's eye view of the destruction from the tsunami “I can’t talk. We have... Continue Reading →
Hello all and a very belated happy new year! It's sadly been a few months since I last wrote on this blog and I fear that pattern may not change much this year. Although I made several trips back to Japan in 2017, at the moment there are no planned trips on the schedule for 2018. It's... Continue Reading →
Japan is chock full of temples and shrines and frankly, not all of them are worth adding to your itinerary. In some cases, they're too old or run-down or out of the way to make the effort. In other instances, visiting in one season may leave a bland impression ... while visiting at just that perfect... Continue Reading →
Winter in Japan means mikan season! Thanks to Courtney for a mouth-watering recipe this month. I'm off to the kitchen! "Everyone is getting sick," said my Japanese coworker. "You should eat a mikan." He hands me this small orange then promptly shows me how to dig your thumb into the top center and begin peeling... Continue Reading →
It's taken me awhile to get around to this post and not just because I was waiting until I returned from my latest trip to Japan. If you've ever gone through reverse culture shock, you know it can be rather insidious. Things feel overwhelming, then they settle down, then they overwhelm you, and the roller... Continue Reading →
It's foliage season, my favorite time of year, and I am stuck in 87*F southern California. Not that palm trees aren't pretty mind you ... 😉 I'm just very excited to head back to Japan in two weeks to catch the autumn leaves in their splendor. (I'm hoping at least. It's been a bit colder... Continue Reading →
While moving is never fun, it's always a treat to discover the local library in my new home. The library has been an invaluable to resource over the years to me, and I am constantly surprised by the unique and enjoyable resources it often holds. This week, I found the book K is for Kabuki:... Continue Reading →
November is my favorite month in Japan. For much of the low-lying areas of the nation (and a few mountainous areas that have yet to turn), November is foliage month. Autumn in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world. In my home state of Pennsylvania, our neighboring mountains turned mottled hues of rust, gold and... Continue Reading →
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