Nagoya Goes Pop – Finding Nagoya in Popular Culture
Jun 10, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Judging by any popular culture you may come across, you could be fooled into thinking that Japan is separated into two camps: the sprawling, futuristic metropolis of Tokyo, and the nondescript, unnamed countryside of the samurai. However, you may be surprised to discover that Aichi Prefecture (as well as neighboring...[ Click to read more ]
Yakiniku in Nagoya
May 28, 2020 By Bert Wishart
When you think of yakiniku, you probably can't help but think of strips of sumptuous, marbled wagyu beef sizzling on a grill, surrounded by salarymen in some high rise Ginza restaurant, right? It's as Japanese as it comes, isn't it? Wrong. Actually yakiniku [literally, grilled meat] comes from Korea, and...[ Click to read more ]
Ichiro, a Potted History of Aichi’s Baseball Legend
By Bert Wishart
Since being introduced to Japan in 1872, baseball has risen to become a national pastime bordering on obsession, in many eyes supplanting sumo as the nation's number one sport. In its near 150 years history, one man has risen as perhaps the greatest player to take to the diamond: Aichi's...[ Click to read more ]
Jet Around Nagoya with Bicycle Sharing
By Bert Wishart
While it may not be the biggest or even the most congested of cities, sometimes getting around Nagoya can be a bit of a pain in the backside. Yes, there are bus and subway systems, but it's no fun getting stuck in traffic, and if you need to make numerous...[ Click to read more ]
Mr. Kanso Canned Food Bar in Nagoya, Exactly What it Says on the Tin
By Bert Wishart
There are many weird and wonderful experiences that we can have during our stays in Japan, but no trip is complete without a night at a concept bar. Perhaps the best known of these is the Robot cafe in Tokyo or the prison-theme bars. When it comes to Japanese 'otaku'...[ Click to read more ]
Getting a Pet in Nagoya
Apr 30, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Nothing completes a family like an additional member, in the form of a pet. Whether a cat, dog, or something less orthodox, it can be really nice having a companion around the home. Pets in Japan The most popular pets in Japan are cats and dogs. Due to space restrictions in...[ Click to read more ]
How to Exercise in Nagoya While Social Distancing
By Bert Wishart
Whether you are working from home, self-isolating, or social distancing, it is vital to keep your fitness and energy levels high. The WHO states that exercise is important for battling a wide range of health issues, and perhaps most relevant in these times of isolation, is the improvement of mental...[ Click to read more ]
Your Nagoya Community Needs You!
By Bert Wishart
Whether lockdown-induced boredom, sick to the back teeth with work from home 'colleagues,' or having already watched so much NETFLIX that there is nothing left but Adam Sandler movies, we are all suffering to some extent at the hands of the COVID-19. Perhaps those hardest hit in Nagoya's expat community...[ Click to read more ]
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Potted Biography of Nagoya’s Pauper Prince
By Bert Wishart
In a world of strict social code, stringent class, and unbreakable caste systems, the samurai era was not a time when upward social mobility was to be dreamed of, let alone expected. However, despite it all, one man rose from peasanthood to become only the second leader of a unified...[ Click to read more ]
Make Your Mask Jazzy and Japanese!
By Bert Wishart
While the rush on toilet roll seems to have abated, there is one thing, in these corona-stricken times, that you can't get your hands on for love nor money, and that's masks. Although the WHO has advised that the wearing of masks will do little to protect the wearer from catching...[ Click to read more ]
