I feel like I’ve been in Japan too long. Or maybe it’s just peaks and valleys. I used to see oddities everywhere, bits and pieces of culture that tilt your head like a puppy trying to get human speech. Then, twenty or so years pass, and everything seems normal. Or maybe my filters are broken, … More Japan is Awesome: Cheese Sand
I feel a little better about my kanji this month. I took a break for about a month for summer vacation and also work. But I came back with a fresh perspective. And the characters kind of reflect that. The following say (basically) precise pen, spare ink, where spare means not too much. If you … More August Shodo
Japan loves mascots. I suspect that it might be Disney where the phenomenon started, but I have nothing to back that up. The only places that I see mascots where I’m from, Boston, Mass., is for sports teams and Disney. You take pictures with the mascot because you want to remember your association with the … More Japan is Awesome – Mascots
I’m starting to think that I should have taken these leveling tests a long time ago. The monthly grind is good, but progress is gradual. Then I take this test and Bam! 2 levels, or 3. Kana has been my strong suit all along, much to my surprise, and this time is no exception. I … More Results
I haven’t written about how Japan is weird for a while. My experience last week was one of the better ones. I’d just finished doing my taxes, an ordeal that no human should be subjected to in any country in any language. I’d expected to be done around mid-morning. But the line– which curved and … More Japan is Awesome – Honesty
From my hotel to the Japan Writers Conference at Tokushima University last month. Shot on a DJI Osmo. The section through the trees is the best. The frame rate dropped to about one sixth of a second, which made it blur. I think that’s the secret.
I spent the day in Shizuoka today. Despite having lived in the country for 18 years or so, I’d never really spent much time here. One time I visited a friend in Hamamatsu, but I never got outside the city. This time I drove. A lot of it highway, but then I got off the … More Tea Leaves
