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 hyd ...
If you’re coming to Tokyo, you’re going to shop. It’s part of the Tokyo experience. I recently stepped out to film a Tokyo Minute segment on vintage shopping in Haraj ...
Download the Podcast | Follow on SoundCloud | Subscribe on iTunes
This week’s GaijinPot podcast is a nice wrap up on the Modeling in Japan series. The articles go in ...
Japan is one of the best foodie places on the planet with a wide variety of dishes and regional specialities.
Japan as we know it today is a relatively modern invention. Before the Meiji Restoration, Japan was a collection of states and regions each with its ow ...
» Continue Reading
I would not say my second home of Tohoku (northern Japan) is not cool, but let’s just say many of my friends are easiest to meet in Tokyo. Tokyo is great, but to me and others who live in or have been to Japan more than once, Tokyo can seem a bit dull if you’r ...
» Continue Reading
Gunkanjima doesn't need any more presentation: it is the famous abandoned island of Japan and one of the most loved urban exploration spots in the world ! My dream to go there has been fulfilled a few times, but like all explorer/hobbyist photographer, I wanted more... ...
» Continue Reading
Someone once threw me a small, brown, hairy kiwi fruit, and I threw a wastebasket over it until it was dead.
Something out of this world is usually priceless. Its value surpasses the baseness of money. Love and care are things which come from the heart. Nurturi ...
» Continue Reading
Japan is truly an alcohol lover’s paradise. Bars and izakaya saturate each neighborhood, customers are rarely carded when buying alcohol (even when a little below the 20-year-old legal age), alcohol is sold in some vending machines, it is perfectly legal to walk down th ...
» Continue Reading
Why the Japanese have no problem asking about your marital status.
As I looked in the mirror, I gave myself a quick, appraising look. I had decided to go with the black knee-length dress, tailored blazer and long, gold pendant. Professional but not your regular borin ...
» Continue Reading
According to history, the Danjiri Matsuri (float festival) was held in the 16th year of the Genroku era in 1703. It was started by the Daimyo of Kishiwada, Okabe Nagayasu, when he prayed to Shinto gods for abundant harvest.
Start: September 15, 2012
End: Septemb ...
» Continue Reading
Finding shoes from size 6 UK size (39 European, 7 US) or 24.5cm is not too difficult in Tokyo despite preconceptions. I have found 13 shoe shops that stock from 24-27cm. Like clothes shops, your foot size can differ in each shoe shop so make sure you get a good fi ...
» Continue Reading
Stepping off the platform at Harajuku station on the Yamanote line in Tokyo, I surveyed the chaos unfolding around me. Fashion-conscious Japanese girls with hair extensions, stilettos, and brightly-colored shopping bags pushed past me. A group of gothic lolitas ming ...
» Continue Reading
Okinawa has free activities in some of the most unlikely places. I usually expect to pay for everything I see at an aquarium or a theme park but here you don’t have to.
If you are on a strict budget or have limited time, this list has something for everyone. So take ...
» Continue Reading
I re-checked my guidebook and confirmed where I was going. It wasn’t my first time to Tokyo, more like my fifth and I had decided that this time; I was going to do things a bit differently.
On my previous four trips to Japan’s capital, I had pounded the pavement ...
» Continue Reading
What is a Japanese ryokan
Staying at a Japanese ryokan (旅館) or traditional style inn is one of the must have experiences on any trip to Japan. A Japanese ryokan provides the opportunity to experience traditional Japanese culture and customs. These include staying in a ...
» Continue Reading