• 7 Ways to Smile Your Way Through the Tokyo Marathon (or any run)
    February 19th, 2014By Category: Events
    My secret to surviving the Tokyo marathon last year was not finding the perfect pair of shoes, fuel, or training plan. All of these were important, as were proper hydration, a motivating playlist, and chafe-preventing lube. But what really kept me going each time I ... » Continue Reading
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    Village Vanguard. Ridiculous + Awesome Holiday Shopping
    December 18th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    If you’re heading back to your home country for the holidays, and a terrible planner, you’re probably in the frenzy of last-minute holiday shopping. Yes, you can show up to Mom’s doorstep with traditional Japanese omiyage, OR you can shop at Village Vanguard and make yo ... » Continue Reading
  • Shitake Mushrooms health food

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    Nihon Noms: 5 Japanese Superfoods To Eat Tonight
    December 14th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    We all know that Japanese food is known for being healthy, but here are a few food facts to help you shop happily and yummily. (I made that word up). Wakame A type of seaweed found in just about any grocery store, Wakame has more than ten times the calcium of milk ... » Continue Reading
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    Hafu: Growing up with a mixed heritage in Japan
    December 13th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    When I went to see the ‘Hafu’, the independent film exploring the lives of Japanese residents with a single Japanese parent, I had two clear pre-conceptions: (1) That this was a film that could only exist about Japan. In more multicultural countries, I reasoned ... » Continue Reading
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    2013 Tokyo Ramen Grand Prix Wrap Up
    December 6th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    Since moving to Japan, the once thing I promised myself I’d never write about is ramen. I’m hardly an expert and I think there are as many food bloggers covering ramen art as there are shops in Tokyo. That said, I’ve decided I'm a big fat hypocrite, because the Tokyo Ra ... » Continue Reading
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    First Aid for Head and/or Heart Injuries
    December 3rd, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    As a foreigner living in Japan, with the possible exception of ending up in jail, the scariest situations you can possibly be in are the emergency ones. Even for those of us who can speak Japanese relatively well, medical language and/or jargon can be hit or miss, a ... » Continue Reading
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    Sunny Diner is The Real Fake Deal
    November 29th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    The movie Ghost World rules for two reasons: 1) the music is cool, and 2) the main character is obsessed with a fake 50’s diner. photo: unrealitymag Pulp Fiction has an excellent one too. Jack Rabbit Slim's Fake 50’s diners are an American institution, d ... » Continue Reading
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    20 signs you live in Japan
    November 26th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    (1) You think it quite normal for an ATM to need down time, but you expect you local konbini to be open 24/7. (2) You hesitate to wear shoes that cannot be taken off in seconds. (3) Being hugged in the street is very embarrassing, but naked bath time with your wor ... » Continue Reading
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    Japanese Food 101: Let’s Eat Nabe
    November 22nd, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    If you’re new to Japan and aren’t well versed in Japanese cookery, going to the grocery store is a bit of a nightmare. A shopping trip that should take twenty minutes turns into an hour-long mystery tour. Is that bottle soy sauce? Black vinegar? Some other magical sauce ... » Continue Reading
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    5 J-Blogs You Should Be Reading
    November 19th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    Here’s a quick roundup of some of my favorite blogs about life in Japan. Whether you’re into yummy stuff, geek culture, or the seedy underbelly of this nation, these bloggers do a capital job of bringing their passions to life on the monitor. 1) Spoon and Tamago ... » Continue Reading
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    Fukushima Love: IMA’s Tokyo Flea Market 11/17
    November 12th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    3/11. We hear a lot in the news about misdirected culpability and averted government responsibility, but not so much about the local causes making a direct impact on lives of the people who lived there. The fact is, there are hundreds of thousands of people from the Toh ... » Continue Reading
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    Eat, Drink, and Be Genki… Let’s Go to Osaka
    November 8th, 2013By Category: Uncategorized
    Okay Tokyo people: it’s time. The holiday hoo ha is ramping up and the leaves are changing. Get ready to hop on a train for the West Side of the island and do the tourist holy trinity: Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. Rather than hit all of the usual castle-temple-shrine-y goodn ... » Continue Reading

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