Gingerbread house
| Three of our students made this amazing gingerbread house and gave it to teachers at our Fukuoka Japanese language school today. They really put so much effort into decorating…
Bento – Japan’s national lunch of choice
| A bento is a box packed with small portions of a home-cooked Japanese meal. Traditionally, it includes rice, fish (or meat) and vegetables – a well-balanced meal in a…
What Japan Thinks
| We found a great blog this morning, What Japan Thinks, that translates and summarizes opinion polls and surveys of Japanese people. There are so many interesting topics covered, although…
Traditional Kyoto dance in Fukuoka
| We were lucky enough to be passing the Iwataya department store recently just as a free demonstration of traditional Kyoto dancing was being held. The two 舞妓 (maiko, trainee…
Ramen!
| Fukuoka, and especially Hakata, is famous for its ramen, and there are tons of restaurants and 屋台 （やたい） – temporary stalls set up along the street – in the…
Interesting Japanese – だてメガネ / だてマスク
| A trend most often associated with hipster fashion, we all know those guys and girls who walk around wearing glasses that don’t have lenses. What the use is of…
冬と言えば、ミカン!
| Winter is mikan season here in Japan! Both delicious and chock full of healthy vitamin C, it’s easy to see why this fruit is so popular in Japan around…
Aiko-sensei’s birthday
| Yesterday was Aiko-sensei’s birthday! She turned 20 years old this year (again!) and received no less than 2 different cakes! Here she is, pictured with the cake she received…
Flu season
| Is your nose running? Are you coughing? Are you hot and shaky, and not because you’re ripping up the dancefloor? Bad news: you might have the flu. That’s right,…