In January, Dan and I enjoyed a belated winter break to Nagano. The main attraction of the break was the Air BnB, which provided us with a unique and tranquil space to unwind in after the year most want to forget. It didn’t disappoint, allowing us to sleep in absolute silence and darkness, and wake…
Matsumoto Mini-Break
The weekend before Christmas 2020, Dan and I took a mini-break for the weekend to Matsumoto city in Nagano (the Japanese Alps). The city is surrounded by visible and towering mountains, which you can catch views of all over the city. While the weekend started in a less than desirable way – think cockroaches in…
Turning 34 in Saitama
I turned 34 (in age, not mind) this year at an eco-lodge we’ve visited previously in Saitama. It’s up in the mountains and surrounded by bamboo. We’ve visited a few times because it’s peaceful, surrounded by nature, and, importantly, cheap! This year was a difficult birthday, the first to pass without hearing from my Dad….
The Beach in Ibaraki Prefecture
Dan and I were limited in domestic-only travel in Japan in 2020, for reasons we already all know…although, with the Covid-19 situation worsening, travel of any kind needs careful consideration in 2021 too. With that context, in October 2020 Dan and I spent the week at an isolated beach hut on the coast of Ibaraki…
What is Peace?
I was recently asked to share some of my experiences as a Rotary Peace Fellow in Japan with my local district in the UK – here is the result! “What does peace mean?” is one of the first questions I was asked as I sat nervously in my first seminar at International Christian University (ICU)…
A Trip to Mount Fuji
Dan and I have been lucky enough to enjoy many trips to Mount Fuji since we moved to Japan. In the unrelenting wet season and during the Covid pandemic of 2020, we had a physically isolated trip to this natural wonder once more. Although Fuji-san was shy and did not often peak out from her…
Dan’s Birthday 2020
This year was not a “big birthday” and it was one Dan celebrated during the Covid pandemic physical distancing, but still, I wanted to make sure it was one to remember. Dan deserves a celebration and I wanted to provide it in a socially responsible and physically distanced way. So, I took to Google to…
Mum Visits Japan and Spring Break 2020
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…