Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween friends!

Did you know Halloween is celebrated in Japan? It started as one of Disneyland’s annual themes about 10 years ago, and has now become one of the biggest street parties in Tokyo!

Summertime at the Fairytale Village of Shirakawa-go

It was a typical August day. The sound of cicadas filled the air and it was hot and humid like the build up to a summer storm. Only, I was not in Tokyo, or even remotely near any city for that matter. I had found myself deep in the mountains of northern Gifu Prefecture, at a place that very much looked straight out of a fairytale. 

The Mighty Gion Matsuri

It’s festival season! For enduring the hot summer months in Japan, we are rewarded with dozens and dozens of exciting festivals… traditional street festivals, lantern festivals, obon dance festivals, fireworks festivals, awa dance festivals, you name it! 

Ajisai-Yashiki: A Spectacular Hydrangea Garden in Chiba

The rainy season in Tokyo typically kicks off in the first week of June, bringing about 20 days of rain in one month. The humidity is a killer but along with the rain, comes one of my favourite flowers: hydrangeas!

Last year, I went on a massive hydrangea hunt around Tokyo. The highlight was a little place in the middle of nowhere that I found advertised on a local Japanese website.

Sake: Japan’s Liquid of Choice

Sake is such an integral part of Japanese culture. There are so many different types of sake, different brands, different ways to drink it, different occasions to drink it on. Having gone out with my Japanese colleagues (surprise, surprise, teachers love to drink!) on many occasions, I feel like I’ve learnt a little about this complex alcoholic liquid.

Nagoya Castle: My First Spring in Japan

I’ll always look back on Nagoya as being a safe haven.

Last week was the 7th anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake. The events that unfolded back on March 11, 2011 are just insane.