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…
Revitalising in Paradise
In July 2019 I took a week long trip to Miyakojima, in Okinawa. This was a solo holiday, and my first solo holiday for some time. I needed some space from Tokyo (not my wonderful Dan of course!) and some time to relax and rest – my first in a while! The island is in…
One Year in Tokyo Town
1st August 2019 marks one year of living in Tokyo and three years of living in Japan. It is hard to believe how quickly and slowly the time has passed! Life in Tokyo has been full of energy, new experiences, bureaucratic challenges, and most significantly, change. The past year has marked some incredible and life…
Our First City Onsen
Dan and I used to go to the onsen quite frequently when we lived in the Japanese countryside. An onsen is the name of a Japanese hot spring bath, and it is a popular way to unwind and relax. It is a communal bathing experience, so only for those who feel comfortable with this. There…