Isn’t it better to have maximum awareness, but minimal impairment?
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Sakura and Sago Palms
Nostalgia has become my drug of choice in middle age.
Continue ReadingPlan Your Post-Pandemic Kyoto Trip
All 365 days of 2022 are going to be spectacular in Kyoto.
Continue ReadingThe Headiest Catch
The third time isn’t always a charm, but kismet blows in with every gust of wind.
Continue ReadingA Way Around Japan’s Cash-Only Culture
For many years, it wasn’t possible to use Pasmo Apple Pay on your iPhone unless you had purchased it in Japan.
Continue ReadingOkayama and Aging
Who wants to be remembered for a truth that became a lie?
Continue ReadingIs Sendai Worth Visiting?
I was pumped-up to explore Sendai, after almost seven years of convincing myself I didn’t need to.
Continue ReadingKyoto by the Sea
Life in Kyoto, at least so far, has been as much about retracing old footsteps as it’s been about charting new paths forward.
Continue ReadingWant to Study Japanese in Japan? Start Here
There has literally never been a better time to study Japanese in Japan.
Continue Reading30 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Visit Tokyo
I hope looking through these images will encourage you to continue peeling away Tokyo’s layers.
Continue ReadingFreezing in the Shadow of Fujisan
Visiting Mt. Fuji in winter isn’t a fool’s errand, but you need to do so with some truths in mind.
Continue ReadingTokyo in the Time of Covid
My life is finally back on track, even if the rest of the world may lag behind by weeks, months or—god help us—years.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Go! Go! Nihon
While I can’t say that Go! Go! Nihon is perfect or even necessarily right for you, I can say with 100% certainty that it works.
Continue ReadingPlan Your Trip to Japan in 2022
In 2022, a trip to Japan will be a better idea than ever before.
Continue ReadingWhat Can You Win When You Play Pachinko?
What, precisely, can a good pachinko game (or a dozen of them) earn you, and is it worth the trouble of learning how to play?
Continue ReadingWhere to Hit the Beach Near Tokyo
When it comes to beaches near Tokyo, there’s good news and there’s bad news.
Continue ReadingShould You Visit Japan in July?
If you’ve never considered a visit to Japan in July, 2021 might be the year that changes your mind.
Continue ReadingIs Okinawa Worth Visiting?
This might seem like a strange question, I concede.
Continue ReadingRead This Before Your Maiden Voyage to Japan
The advice I’m about to give you is priceless!
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Japan’s Casino Resorts
It may a decade or longer before the first Japan casino resort opens its doors.
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