In March 2020 mum visited us in Japan. It was her first trip to Japan, and I wanted to make it one to remember! Mum’s visit was part of our spring break plans in 2020; a couple of weeks jam-packed with mini-breaks and enjoyable hikes. We had six days together with mum and I wanted…
Spring to Summer to Autumn 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the world to ‘pause’, often referred to as the Great Pause for more dramatic effect. This isn’t a blog about the Covid pandemic though, but rather a blog to excuse me for such an absence in sharing the experiences of life in Japan over the past six months. Firstly, due…
Wow, it is April
Wow…my last post was in January, and now it is (almost) April. What have I been doing with myself?! Oh yaaahhhh…second term, three thesis chapters, the mother visiting Japan for the first time, organising summer field research only to have that unravel at the hands of a casual global pandemic. Wow, what a first three…
Christmas 2019: The UK Chapter
This year finally had my winter holiday in the UK! This was the first time I had arrived back in the UK since I left in August 2016. My first observation, nothing much has changed – the motorway leaving Heathrow Airport quickly instructed us it was 50 miles an hour for the next 100 miles…yep,…
Takezawa, Saitama
For my birthday, I turned 25 for the 7th year in a row (I know, it’s a miracle…) Dan and I went to Takezawa in Saitama. Now, this was a trip I had very little hand in planning (alarm bells). So imagine my delight when we arrive in Takezawa area at the local train station…
UNLEASH Innovation Lab, Shenzhen, November 2019
UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2019 was hosted by Shenzhen city in China. From the 5th to the 14th November over 1,000 UNLEASH Talents, from 162 countries, met in Shenzhen to innovate and work collectively on the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The week was both challenging and transformative, as groups spent four days working…
Term One – Learning About Peace
Poor Our Japan Story has taken a back-seat this term. This is reflective of almost everything, other than studying, taking a back seat. I knew graduate school would be difficult, but I had no idea how all-consuming it would be! Firstly, the sheer amount of reading required has been overwhelming. An academic article that is…
Onjuku – Chiba Prefecture
In August, to celebrate the birth of my beloved, Dan, we took a long weekend trip to the area of Onjuku. Onjuku is in Chiba Prefecture on the east coast of Japan, with the beautiful sparkling sea of the pacific ocean to enjoy. We visited on a bank holiday weekend, seemingly with the rest of…
New Home, Brave New World
My posts have been lacking of late. This has not been because of a lack of care or concern for Our Japan Story, but rather because of the start of a brave new chapter in our, frankly wonderful, life in Japan. When Dan and I made the decision to move to Japan in August 2016,…
Koenji Awa Odori Festival 2019
Koenji is not only famous for its vintage shops and vegan restaurants, but also for its yearly Awa Odori festival. These festivals happen all over Tokyo but Koenji is infamous for it’s size, dancers, and overall party-vibe atmosphere. The festival falls in summer and it is a dance festival, characterised by the tall straw hats…