I started my Golden Week 2012 trip in Yamagata. I really hope that my posts will encourage people to come and visit Tohoku. So many people avoid the region nowadays because of the Great Earthquake and Tsunami 2011 that hit...
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Shimabara Castle and The Hells of Mt. Unzen
Nagasaki Prefecture is one of my favorite prefectures in all of Japan and having been to all prefectures, I think I can allow myself a judgement like this. Thus it was a pleasure to not only visit Nagasaki City again, but also...
European Influences in Hirado
After visiting Omura on my way from Nagasaki (Gunkanjima) I finally arrived in Hirado which is also in Nagasaki Prefecture. Visited: January 7th 2012 It’s a pleasant small city, but a bit complicated to access by train. The...
Omura Park in Nagasaki
After visiting Gunkanjima in Nagasaki City in the morning I was heading towards Hirado in the afternoon. Before arriving there, I stopped by in Omura City which is on the way. I wanted to visit Kushima Castle in Omura Park so...
6 Dangerous or Annoying Insects (and Other Pests) in Japan
If you’re planning to come to Japan in summer, there’s something you should know about first. The crazy heat and humidity coupled with bad insulation of houses is one thing, but that climate causes another problem...
Aka Tombo: The Red Dragonfly
When visiting Japan one of the more pleasant insects you might see if you’re a bit lucky is the red dragonfly (aka tombo, 赤とんぼ). My area seems to be especially famous as many of them used to gather there, but I heard that...
Why are you interested in Japan?
I’m very often asked by Japanese people: “Why did you come to Japan? What is your interest in Japan?” There’s this documentation (interviews with people living in Japan) called “A Life in...
Blog: Surviving in Japan
After introducing the brand new online magazine “Tsuki” in my last recommendation post, I want to go ahead and present you a great blog today! “Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese)” (click) Although...
Gunkanjima – Battleship Island
If you’re in Nagasaki and have some time left, definitely check out the so-called “Battleship Island“, also known as Gunkanjima. Visited: January 6th 2012 The easiest way to get to Gunkanjima is to join one of...