Category: LIFESTYLE

So the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, also known as the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, came and went and, as expected, were enjoyed by the people who wanted to be enjoyed and were ignored by those who didn’t care ...

When I first wrote an article about masks in this blog in April 2020, I didn’t think masks would be still a thing one year later -- I mean, I knew they would still be a thing in Japan, as they ...

We have mentioned it before on this blog that one of the many things that surprise first- (and often second- and third-) time visitors to Japan is the coexistence of two religions, sometimes ...

The word “monsoon” is hardly ever used in Japan; the Japanese prefer for their rainy season the more poetic “tsuyu.” which means “plum rain” and actually comes from an 8th-century ...

Like many other aspects of Japanese culture, coffee became a thing in the islands back in the Edo period (1600-1863) and like many other aspects of Japanese culture that are not native, it had to go ...

As the platitude says, the Japanese Islands are like the Galapagos Islands: an ecosystem unlike anything else you will see anywhere else in the world. And even those of us who are tired of all the ...

Contrary to what many people outside believe, Japan isn’t a science-fiction utopia where everything is done by robots and artificial intelligence. Especially when it comes to internet penetration, ...

It’s a fact: mosquitoes are one of the prices we have to pay for summer. On the other hand, considering how bad the Japanese summer is, mosquitoes fall under the “insult to injury” category. ...

It’s amazing what people will try to get some relief from bad weather. I mean who would have thought that having what is, essentially, pasta flowing in cold water through bamboo tubes cut in half ...

For all its fame as a world hub of martial arts with traditions going back centuries (yes, the samurai didn’t just wield their swords: there were schools and teachers and techniques and diplomas), ...

Father’s Day, much like the rest of the world, is celebrated in Japan to honor fatherhood and to show one’s appreciation towards their father for everything he has done and given ...

Brace yourself, the annual tsuyu (rainy season) is on its way! Just when you were beginning to appreciate the sunny, warmer weather and treating yourself to lots of kakigori... From around ...

Just in time for summer, many countries have gradually begun to lift their lockdowns and restrictions, meaning we will now be able to step outdoors and finally enjoy the sun! But before you head ...

Yes, we’re under lockdown. Yes, this is to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. But have you thought about the impact this may have on our health and wellbeing? Staying cooped up at home means ...

Ahhh stress. It’s an unavoidable part of life and something we all deal with from time to time. It’s the body’s natural response to change whether it be physical, mental, or emotional and can ...