In Shimonoseki, the winter is similar to the UK, perhaps even a little warmer. The average low temperature is 6 degrees but it sits around 10 degrees most days. Unlike the UK, the sun is also often shining framing the mountains and beautiful beach near our apartment! Bliss. Yet, the Japanese winter can be a…
Category: Life in Japan
Ramen Delights
Ramen is a delicious Japanese favourite food, particularly on a cold winter night. It consists of a tasty broth, noodles, two slices of pork, a sprinkle of spring onion with a few extras, including tasty pickled ginger. It is simple, hearty, good-for-you Japanese food. Some places make the broth by boiling pork bones and using…
My Language Learning Rollarcoaster
When I arrived in Japan I was full of wild and misguided confidence about my ability to learn Japanese. I fear I lost sight of reality a little in these initial days of new hope and home. It turns out, learning a new language is really tough and hoping you absorb it through osmosis is…
A Good Soak Works Wonders
We increasingly realise we live in a great location, despite how rural it is. It is beautiful, cheap, located near an onsen town, and we recently found Gorgonzola cheese and ciabatta fresh baked bread in our local supermarket. I am getting fat this Christmas! (For info, an onsen is a hot spring. You scrub yourself…
Turning THIRTY
Dan and I are both 30. When we met at 17, I could never have imagined what 30 year old us would look like. When I went off travelling at 18 and Dan stayed home with his band (can’t deny we were a cliché!) and then again when we went to university at 19, we…
Reflecting on Hiroshima
At the start of December we had a long weekend away in Hiroshima. We had visited this vibrant city on holiday in 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed re-tracing our footsteps. On Saturday we made the most out of the café culture and western friendly eateries. After months of matcha latte offerings and ramen a good slice…
My Bunkasai
A few weeks ago I went to my first bunkasai (cultural school festival) while Dan enjoyed a day at the sumo. Initially, I was ‘proper gutted’ that I would miss out on sumo for ‘work’… However, my bunkasai day started off well as arrived at school to find some students running about dressed as, what…
Japan; the Highs and Lows (So Far…)
It is December the 1st today which marks four months since I arrived in Japan…today is also a big day for schools across the nation, as it is the day the kerosene winter heaters get their big switch on. Japan does not mess around with the likes of safe central heating, oh no, it is…
Tunes and Birthday Beats
On Sunday 20th November we attended a music performance at The Beat Cafe. The singer Satoko san joined a very intimate crowd of ten in the beautiful and relaxing beach side setting. The music was inventive and delicate. Crowd interaction was encouraged through home made coffee bean shakers and rocks against wood for a solid…
Deer Self(ie)
Deer Self(ie), I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent successes. To name a few, you are travelling parts of Japan you had never even heard of until your move here just less than four months ago. You are embracing the culture and studying the language. You challenge and ask…