Most people’s picture of Japan involves packed trains, busy crossings and cities that never seem to empty. It’s much harder to picture the people in those same cities who have almost stopped taking part in ordinary life. They aren’t working or studying, and some have lived like this for years. Japanese has a word for […]
12
Oct
Oct
If you’re staying in Nagoya and wondering whether Okazaki is worth visiting, I’d say yes, especially if you like Japanese history, castles and quieter places that don’t feel overrun with tourists. I visited recently and spent a few hours around Okazaki Castle and the surrounding park. For most people, I think two to four hours […]
06
Oct
Oct
Planning a first trip to Japan gets complicated surprisingly quickly. You start off wondering where to stay in Tokyo, and twenty minutes later you’re comparing rail passes and checking whether your phone supports an eSIM. Then you find three IC cards that seem to do exactly the same thing. I’ve lived in Japan since 2000, […]
24
Sep
Sep
Hitsumabushi is arguabaly Nagoya’s most famous dish. Grilled eel over rice. You don’t eat it straight through like an ordinary meal, though. Divide the bowl into four portions and eat three different ways. Save the last portion for whichever way you liked best. Getting the method right is what makes hitsumabushi worth the extra cost […]
Getting Around
Travelling Japan With Limited Mobility: What You Will Actually Encounter at Every Stage
04
Sep
Sep
You have probably read it in a dozen places already. Japan is surprisingly accessible for wheelchair users, especially in the major cities. That is technically true, but it gives you almost nothing to actually plan with. Knowing Japan is accessible does not tell you which car on the Shinkansen to book as a wheelchair user. […]
01
Sep
Sep
A genuine kintsugi bowl draws the eye straight to the crack running across it. Someone has mended it with lacquer and finished the seam with a dusting of gold, rather than trying to hide it. With kintsugi, you repair the break instead of disguising it, and that single choice sums up the whole craft. Kintsugi […]
27
Aug
Aug
Don Quijote, commonly called Donki in Japan, is one of Japan’s largest discount store chains. It is famous for its floor-to-ceiling stacks of goods and late-night shopping, with some locations even open 24 hours. Donki carries plenty of unusual items that you may not find back home. It is convenient, has a huge cosmetics section […]
26
Aug
Aug
You’ll find vintage clothing, old Famicom games and miso pork cutlets within a few doors of each other in Osu. You won’t find one single shopping street here. Instead, you’ll explore covered arcades and side lanes between Osu Kannon Temple and Banshoji. I moved to Osu in summer 2000 and lived above the skating rink […]
18
Aug
Aug
Miso katsu is a deep-fried pork cutlet served with a dark red miso sauce in place of the usual tonkatsu sauce, and food writers outside Japan tend to describe it as one of Nagoya’s defining local dishes. After 30 years living in Nagoya, the practical view is that it’s worth trying once, especially for diners […]
10
Aug
Aug
You booked your flights months ago, and only afterwards did somebody mention the words “Golden Week” in a tone that suggested you should be worried. Maybe you’ve since read a few forum threads calling it Japan’s busiest travel week and left it at that, which tells you almost nothing useful. Golden Week does change how […]