Moving on Up, Moving on Out…

The time has (almost) come to say goodbye to Shimonoseki. My two year contract has come to an end, and wow, what an incredible two years it has been. I am so proud of us for what we have achieved, overcome, and experienced. Living here will be an experience we will never forget and which…

Shimonoseki 花火 Hanabi (Flower Fire = Fireworks!)

A year ago Dan enjoyed his second day in Japan at Shimonoseki fireworks. Fireworks are a big summer festival favourite in Japan, known as flower fire. A year on, now we were part of the group blocking off space with our massive tarpaulin, and we got to witness the beautiful show once again! An hour…

A Guide to a Date Weekend in Shimonoseki

This weekend was date weekend. We decided to spend some quality time together in our local area. It was time to get some of those `local, I’ll do it at some stage I promise’ things ticked off that list. The opener was a trip to the top of Hinomiyama, the local viewing mountain. We walked…

Mojiko, Party Boat and Another Sunset

Last weekend Dan and I had no big plans and initially lent towards a weekend under the Kutatsu table. We had been doing a little research into local cafes and things to do, and came across a place called Mojiko, which is just across the water on Kyushu. We pulled ourselves out of our warm…

Four on: What Have the Past Four Weeks Really Been Like?

I found the initial few days a whirlwind of jet lag and Tokyo Orientation. It was nice to meet lots of like-minded people, ready for an adventure. Although, I wonder how many people were really prepared for the life upheaval and emotional impact of leaving their families. Nonetheless, I found the Tokyo Orientation scratched the…

Departure to Japan Approaches and the Nerves Have Set in!

Well it is now just three weeks before the big move to Japan! I cannot believe that after all of this time, we are finally moving. We have details of our placement and are moving to Shimonoseki city. It is the largest city in the Yamaguchi Prefecture and right on the southern tip. You can…