In Toyama city there is a unique and modern library building. This building houses the Toyama Glass Museum, which features work from local glass artists and the infamous Dale Chihuly. Chihuly has exhibitions all over the world and, rather surprisingly, also in Toyama! So on one of our colder and less ‘outside’ winter holiday days…
Christmas Day 2018
In 2018 Dan and I spent our first Christmas in Japan after over two and a half years of living here. We spent it on Toyama in our unique Airbnb. Our actual day started off slowly with a late wake up, a bit of book reading (I indulged in a festive bit of Bridget Jones’…
Shirakawa
Shirakawa-Mura is an area in North Gifu prefecture, which borders Toyama, and is the home to some unique thatched houses, which are, of course, a World Heritage Site. The houses were nice and the town was very quaint. However, the best bit…the best bit was the drive there! Over rolling mountains and around beautiful green…
And Mountain (Toyama)
Dan and I decided to spend our first Christmas after three years in Japan. Partly a decision fuelled by funding, but also we had been lucky enough to get an Airbnb voucher to use in Japan after a failed holiday in the summer. This meant we had £350 to spend on accommodation anywhere in Japan…the…
Second Bunk Bars
Dan and I recently took another walk around our local area. We really did accidentally nail it when we decided to move to Nakano ward, having never visited the area or West Tokyo… On our night-time stroll we found a street that time had preserved. It was a street of low doorways and inviting little…
Goodbyes (Again!)
In August 2018 Dan and I moved to Tokyo. We’ve both been privilidged to celebrate our 32nd birthdays here and and enjoy all of the city living a mega metropolis like Tokyo offers. Enabling this move has been my job; teaching English at a university in central Tokyo. My contract runs from term to term,…
Swifty Does It: Turning 32 in Style
Screw turning 32. The title of my memoir? A little early perhaps… Anyway, there was NO chance I was going to do something sensible for my 32nd birthday. Nice meal out? Do one. Visit a gallery? No thanks. Instead I embarked on a rather more teenage adventure of…Taylor Swift in concert, plus alcohol (I am…
Friends in Tokyo
It is fair to say that Japan is pretty far from our UK home. Therefore, we don’t expect many friends from home to visit, so when they do it is particularly special. James and Jade came along to holiday with us in August 2017 and next up comes the wonderful Sally in October 2018. Hanging…
I Spy Mount Fuji
Fuji-san or Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s most iconic volcanos. It’s symetrical shape and illusive nature appeals to tourists and locals alike. Since moving to Tokyo over three months ago (let’s just take a moment to address how insane it is that THREE months have passed…) we have been on a bit of a…