New Year or Oshōgatsu (お正月) is the most important holiday of the year for the Japanese. It’s a family holiday that is steeped in long tradition and is a far cry from the parties and public displays of drunkenness that often define the countdown to the New Year for many around the world. Here is what […]
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Setagaya Boroichi: Winter Flea Market Shopping in Tokyo
Love a good treasure hunt? Are you a shopper who loves the pursuit of a bargain? Then come rummage to your heart’s content at one of Tokyo’s biggest flea markets, the Setagaya Boroichi (世田谷ボロ市). Held biannually on December 15th-16th and January 15th-16th, this 400-year-old flea market is an important event on the area’s calendar. The […]
Travel guide to Tokyo’s semi-tropical Hachijo Island (Hachijojima)
Tropical islands may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Tokyo, but let me assure you, they exist, palm trees and all. While there are technically over 200 physical islands that fall under Tokyo’s jurisdiction, for the purposes of beach and resort tourism, there are 11. And today we’re […]
Becoming Muslim in Japan: The Story of a Japanese Muslimah
日本でムスリムとなる：日本人ムスリマの歩み A post shared by ありさ ???? اريسا (@nurarisamaryam) on Jul 30, 2017 at 4:34am PDT Today we have a special interview with Nur Arisa Maryam, a Japanese Muslimah (a Japanese woman of the Muslim faith). When I first learned about Arisa through a Muslim friend in Tokyo, I felt compelled to contact her and share […]
Uncovering Niigata’s tradition of craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo
The Japanese are not new to the world of design and innovation. “A knack for design” would be putting it lightly and “world-class craftsmanship” not an overstatement. ‘Made in Japan’ represents more than just place of manufacture, it elicits an image of quality often unparalleled. Yet ask a visitor where these state-of-the-art products are made […]
A Practical Guide to Travel in Myanmar
I read a lot of things before heading to Myanmar, especially about the practicalities of trip planning and what to expect in country. In reality, some of them ended up being true, others were not, at least not anymore. The situation is changing rapidly in Myanmar and it’s not nearly as difficult to travel there […]
Performance Foundry Review – Best managed WordPress hosting
I’ve tried a number of different hosts to power this blog over the years, both managed and non-managed, and it’s been an educational experience, to be sure. I’d found myself at wit’s end each time I changed host for the promise of something better and more reliable, but each time I was catastrophically let down. […]
Renting in Japan: How difficult is it for foreigners to get apartments?
In a nutshell: very. Our lease is up for renewal this month, which reminded me that it’s already been two years since we finally got this place. Do you remember the drama just to get it? If you’re a new reader or simply missed it, you should read the post on how this place was […]
5 Things to do in Nyaungshwe, Myanmar (that aren’t a boat tour)
Most people visit Nyaungshwe in Myanmar to visit Inle Lake. However there is more to do in Nyaungshwe that just a boat tour. Here are five things to do in Nyaungshwe that you can fit around your lake exploration. Table of Contents Mingalar MarketLinn Htet Restaurant and Cooking SchoolBike to Red Mountain WineryAung Puppet ShowThe […]
Why I won’t be boycotting travel to Myanmar
Myanmar has been in the international news a lot the past couple of weeks, and it hasn’t been for the glorious stupa-dotted landscape of Bagan or the tranquil waters of Inle Lake. It’s been for the religious and ethnic persecution of the Muslim Rohingya minority of Rakhine State by the Burmese army and militia groups, […]