There is a common image that Japanese people love nature. In some ways that is clearly true, thankfully. However, in various important respects what happens in practice seems to go very much against that. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and protection of the environment there is one habit in Japan which, I suggest, needs to change. I’m referring to the bad … [Read more...] about What happened to the Japanese love of nature?
Culture
The Art of Washi – The Japanese Paper Lanterns Festival
We were invited to a lot of festivals recently, and we go to quite a few of them throughout the year, but the Mino Paper Lantern Festival will always have a special place in our hearts. Mino is a small town in the middle of Gifu prefecture. It’s already quite popular as a tourist destination due to its historical charm, but once a year, for the Paper Lantern Festival or … [Read more...] about The Art of Washi – The Japanese Paper Lanterns Festival
Exploring the Simplistic Beauty of Wabi-Sabi (侘寂)
The daily struggle for perfection – especially on social media with its perfectly curated feeds – it’s becoming harder than ever to just take a step back and enjoy the moment with the things we already have. In the back of your mind, you know perfection is unattainable, yet the drive to be perfect – or at least to present yourself in a perfect way is very strong for a lot of … [Read more...] about Exploring the Simplistic Beauty of Wabi-Sabi (侘寂)
Eat Like a Viking
The term All-you-can-eat is a cumbersome, mouthful of a word. Buffet is a good substitute, but not entirely accurate as some buffets are not unlimited. My personal favorite is the term smorgasbord, but even that is not always associated with food. If only English had a more concise word like the Japanese word tabehoudai, or the more colloquial Japanese term Viking. For … [Read more...] about Eat Like a Viking
The Tokyo Motor Show: An Open-Ended Future
Rallying from Behind The 46th biennial Tokyo Motor Show (TMS) just concluded along with one of Japan’s biggest weekends in recent memory. In spite of rising concerns regarding the steady fall in attendance, the Tokyo Motor Show exceeded its goal of attracting one million guests. To call that target ambitious is an understatement considering the substantial decline in the … [Read more...] about The Tokyo Motor Show: An Open-Ended Future