Japanese Public Libraries for the Non-Japanese Reader
Apr 25, 2022 By Michael Stigall
After a while, you’ll notice the sheer amount of bookstores and reading materials there seem to be in Japan. While print media has been declining in the West, with the occasional revival, physical books and media are still very much a thing in Japan. Part of the reason may be...[ Click to read more ]
Super Bar DJs – Nagoya’s Coolest DJ Events
Mar 31, 2022 By Bert Wishart
If, like Edwin Starr, you like the sound of funky music (and that it sho nuff turns you on) then you will want to find some awesome places to check out the best DJs spinning their stuff. Now that the covid-19 regulations have been relaxed somewhat, you may also want...[ Click to read more ]
Get Your Groove On! A Thrifty Guide to Buying Guitars in Japan
Jan 24, 2022 By William Farrow
For those who love to hit, pluck, strike or strum their instrument of choice, moving to Japan can provide a few challenges. Short-term expats looking at only a few years in the country may not want to risk damaging their beloved instrument during the moves in and out of the...[ Click to read more ]
Music to Your Ears: The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra
By William Farrow
While it is often easy to find places to see Japan's natural and manmade wonders, sometimes we all need to unwind and let ourselves appreciate the finer things in life. As you are in a country with a rich history in the fine arts, why not allow yourself to be...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya is not boring! Discover Nagoya’s Best Tour Company
Dec 27, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Known primarily for its manufacturing, its central location, and its busy transport hub, Nagoya has a rep for being a place you only go to get to somewhere else. But steeped in history, with a distinctive cuisine and some stunning areas of natural beauty, I'm here to tell you: Nagoya...[ Click to read more ]
Live Comedy in Kansai
Oct 29, 2021 By Justin Hanus
Live comedy in countries such as the US and UK mostly conjures up images of listening to one person tell jokes and funny stories for an hour or so. But it often primarily involves groups or collectives of comedic theater performers putting on circus-like shows in many other places. Japan...[ Click to read more ]
Fortune Telling? It’s for the Birds!
Oct 28, 2021 By Bert Wishart
A Japanese proverb says, of the futility of trying to predict the future, 'when you talk about the future, demons laugh.' And yet, much of the population believe that the future is already ordained, mapped out in the stars and that if we look to them with just the right...[ Click to read more ]
Get to the Point – Traditional Japanese Swordsmithery Near Nagoya
By Bert Wishart
According to historian and author Stephen Turnbull on the Netflix documentary The Age of Samurai, "the samurai's most iconic weapon was the katana, the Japanese sword, widely regarded as the finest sword ever made in world history. It had a very sharp resilient blade, which was curved, and it enabled...[ Click to read more ]
The Unko Museum is anything but crappy
Sep 29, 2021 By Jason Gatewood
We knew it was bound to happen eventually; Japan is home to the first restroom-themed restaurant, our toilet technology is talked about and adored far and wide, and we even invented this 💩 emoji. So, of course, Japan should be the first to have a museum dedicated to all things...[ Click to read more ]
In the Beginning, There Was a Spear… How Japan was Created
Aug 31, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Here's a question I bet you've never asked yourself: Where do countries come from? We tend to take the land upon which we live as a given; it's just there, so we stand on it, build on it and sometimes even fight over it. If we do consider it, we...[ Click to read more ]
