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Tuesday, 28 November 2017

Building a new Olympic Stadium - and Building up National Debt

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Right next to Meiji Jingu Gaien (明治神宮外苑), where crowds are currently flocking to check out the beautiful yellowing ginkgo trees , is the Nat...
Wednesday, 22 November 2017

The Changing Colour of the Leaves, Ginkgo Trees, and Poisonous Nuts

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Though not in the same league as cherry-blossom viewing ( hanami ), at this time of year many Japanese go to see the autumnal leaves beginni...
Sunday, 19 November 2017

Drinking Habits in Japan: the Rise and fall of Beaujolais Nouveau

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Around this time of the year - the third Thursday in November to be precise - Japan goes mad for the new batch of Beaujolais Nouveau, with...
Wednesday, 15 November 2017

November 11th: Remembrance Day or Pocky Day?

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As part of my Australian studies class, at this time of the year I introduce Remembrance Day to my Japanese students. As many people outside...
Friday, 10 November 2017

The Queen of Fruits - La France (Western Pear)

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At the risk of getting overly fruity - the last post was about the persimmon, "the divine fruit" - I'd like to introduce a sec...
Tuesday, 7 November 2017

The Divine Fruit of Autumn - Kaki (Persimmon)

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Food in Japan seems far more seasonal than in the UK and Japanese people certainly have firmer ideas of what food is associated with what ...
Wednesday, 1 November 2017

100 Posts - Thank-you!

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Since the first post on March 7th I have now reached 100 posts with over 8000 views from more countries than I can count. Thank-you everyon...
Thursday, 26 October 2017

Confronting the Label "Gaikokujin": Japanese Multiculturalism as an Oxymoron

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A few weeks ago I was asked to speak at a meeting of FEW (For Empowering Women in Japan), a Tokyo-based non-profit business and social net...
Saturday, 21 October 2017

In Harmony with Nature? Gloomy Nihonbashi and the Construction State

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All roads lead to Nihonbashi Nihonbashi (日本橋 literally "Japan Bridge") is both the name of a bridge and also a specific busin...
Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Japanese Politics in Flux (Part 2): Hoping for a Viable Opposition

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On September 25th, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike sent shock waves through the political establishment - and totally dominated the media - by a...
Saturday, 14 October 2017

Japanese Politics in Flux (Part 1): The Communist Party as the Conscience of the Nation

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Walking around the neighbourhood it is common to see political parties' posters (left) stuck to the walls of local houses, even during...