Children’s Day was on May 5th, but the fishies were still swimming the mighty Shukugawa, so I figured I’d post this pic.

I wonder if the US Army still lures losers with the bullshit catch phrase “be all that you can be”, but on the train I saw copywriting in an ad for an art school that takes a refreshingly opposite tack to the usual bovine feces. The vertical Japanese copy reads “naritaku nai jibun ni, naru …

It saw such a nice day this last weekend that we decided to get another picnic (お花見、ohanami, cherry blossom viewing) in. While we were out and about I came across this awesome temple phone box (or as is said on the side NE BOX) in Marugame city.

If you read Japanese, and even if you don’t I think you’ll enjoy Comics Newspaper or Manga no Shimbun (漫画の新聞). It’s an online news website that presents the day’s news in the form of cartoons. On the day of this posting the headliner was a lovely story about a man who bludgeoned his superior with …

Pretty much any native English speaker that lives in Japan either works, has worked or has been asked to work as an English teacher. I have even heard stories of random people running up to foreigners and asking them to teach English at their school. Strange but it does happen.

Despite the economic downturn in Japan, …

No Idea what the de flots means, but great little cafe none the less.
Again another example of great little cafes and little shops out in the Japanese inaka (田舎 countryside). We found this little cafe while out for a drive a few weeks ago, Just of a main road, loads of parking and a …

The classic Japanese “ore ore” (me me) scam has undergone an upgrade. Back in the good old days of ten, fifteen years ago shady characters would call up unsuspecting grandmas and claim to be their grandsons. The so-called ‘grandson’ would say “Hey grandma, it’s me.” and convince his ‘grandma’ that he needed help (i.e. money …

The cool thing about internet cafes in Japan is they are cheap and usually 24hrs. You can watch DVDs, read Manga, of course use the Internet, and drink as much soft drink as you want. Some also have showers just in case you need to spruce yourself up.

*As a travel tip if you miss …

Hana fuda (花札) or literally flower cards are Japanese-style playing cards that goes back to the Azuchi Momoyama period of the 1500s. Playing cards and card games were first introduced to Japan by the Portugese and this explains why Japanese often call game cards karuta (かるた) after the Portugese word carta. At the time, Portugese …

Origami in Japan is more than just making paper cranes, although anyones that’s spent a bit of time at a Japanese high school will know that it’s how a lot of students pass the time in class.

A great place to find origami paper is the 100 yen shop (hyaku-en shoppu). As well as carrying the …