While the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom I returned to Tokyo and the Kansai area where I met some familiar faces. Also I visited the southern island of Okinawa for the first time.
How is it like to do research in Asia? Together with my coworker we have a dialogue about our research experience in Japan and South Korea.
Read about my second Japan Trip in Summer 2014. I traveled three weeks all around Japan – from Sapporo all the way to Kagoshima and back to Tokyo with many stops in between.
A simple guide to build a heated blanket table with parts you can find here for comfy vibes like in Japan.
In 2017 I spent half a year in Northern California as an exchange student. Many things were different at first but I enjoyed my time very much. How was it? And what did I do in my spare time?
In just a few hours, we traded snow-covered mountains for the icy Pacific coast. Hachinohe, known for its fishery, welcomed us with serene moments at Kabushima Shrine and a taste of fresh seafood.
As a highlight of this trip we reserved a room in a secluded mountain ryokan high up in Yamagata’s mountains. The inn’s 4×4 minibus picked us up at the last stop of the public bus line. The unpaved mountain road at the end was so steep, most cars would have had trouble to climb it.
Our five day trip to Tohoku began with the sunrise over Tokyo’s skyline. Aizu-Wakamatsu checked all our boxes as a travel destination: called the Samurai city, the city was home to Samurai for a long time; until the Boshin war in 1848. We also looked forward to visiting Higashiyama Onsen, seeing the local crafts including lacquerware and of course the local cuisine and sake.
Happy 2024! Having transitioned into the New Year with Japanese customs, we began our 2024 with a vacation in the Tohoku region. Five prefectures in five days.
Season’s greetings! Today I want to introduce some of the Japanese Christmas celebrations and new year’s traditions.
On the afternoon of January 1st 2024 a strong earthquake occurred on the Japan Sea side of Japan. The strongest magnitude was recorded to be 7 in the Japanese scale with shaking being felt in the whole country.
In late November I had the chance to revisit Kyoto, a place I connect with many memories. Here is a list of scenic places I think have not been found by the typical Kyoto tourist yet.
We have great news! We could secure the apartment we hoped for and moved in last week. This means this series is already concluded after two posts. That was unexpected. To be honest, I was surprised that we were able
Our first week in Tokyo unfolded in a quite different way than all those times I came as a tourist. Instead of sightseeing, the most important task for us was to find an apartment to stay.
It’s time again to wake up the blog for extensive Japan coverage. This time, however, I’m neither alone nor traveling as a tourist. In fact, together with my partner, I am moving to Tokyo for 1-2 years.
If you think about Japan in Summer, isn’t fireworks the first thing that comes to mind? In 2022 most fireworks events were canceled because of pandemic-related concerns. All fireworks? No, one event was scheduled to be held and it even happened to be one in the Kansai area.
Kobe always draws me back after my first visit ten years ago. This time I visited the new „a to a“ aquarium in the harbor area, climbed up to Venus Bridge and strolled through the historic foreign house district of Kitano.
Recently I visited the Setouchi Art Triennale, thanks to a lucky draw. I just made it back in time to catch the ferry to Naoshima from Teshima. Dark clouds approached the island and minutes later it began to rain.
Recently I visited the Setouchi Art Triennale, thanks to a lucky draw. The two islands Teshima and Naoshima are at the center of the Triennale with notable museums and a set of temporary exhibitions.
Recently I visited the Setouchi Art Triennale, thanks to a lucky draw. This contemporary art exhibition takes place every three years on the islands of the Setouchi region.