The One about J.S. Pancake Cafe in Shibuya
Located a floor above Gorilla Coffee Shibuya is a pancake shop known as J.S. Pancake Cafe. I’ve written about the popularity of pancakes in Japan and they are no doubt much different in terms of perception, look and taste when compared to the typical pancakes Read More …
The One about Guzman Y Gomez Mexican Taqueria in Harajuku
In Australia, Guzman y Gomez is known for their authentic Mexican dishes and with over a 100 businesses in Australia, Singapore and Japan, Guzman y Gomez Mexican Taqueria gives Japanese another way to try Mexican food such as burritos, nachos, taco and quesadillas. Created in Read More …
The One about TRF (Tetsuya Komuro’s Rave Factory)
This year, one of Japan’s most successful pop group’s, TRF (Tetsuya Komuro’s Rave Factory) will be celebrating their 25th year anniversary. When I first started listening to Japanese music, TRF was the first pop group I listened to. In fact, I can remember it quite Read More …
The One about Warwick Thornton’s “Samson & Delilah”
As I watch “Samson & Delilah”, I can’t help but feel respect towards filmmaker Warwick Thornton. For taking on something that others may consider as taboo or something that people knows that happens in Australian society but confronting those issues in his film and perhaps Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Part 6 (Final)
As I return back to the West Gate Entrance, I realized that I only covered 45% of the Hitachi Seaside park, there are so many things yet to explore on the the opposite end (where the gardens and dunes are located). But unfortunately, after a Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park Part 5: Hinano Hayashi Woods and Kinen no Mori Forest
After leaving Miharashi Village, walking towards the path, you will enter an area called Hinano Hayashi Woods. If you thought the Hitachinaka Natural Forest was the primary forest, you’ll quickly learn that Hitachi Seaside Park has more smaller areas that are considered forests or woods. Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park Part 4: Miharashi Village
After leaving Sawada Spring Water Nature House, to be truthful, I wasn’t sure where to go next. Should I go right, should I go left? I actually went right and realized, it was a dead end. Because I went in December, the blue nemophila flowers Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park Part 3: Sawada Spring Water Nature House
Continuing my coverage from Hitachi Seaside Park, I had a choice of which area to go…left or right and I ended up choosing “Sawada Spring Water Nature House”. The area was created as a learning center to learn about the environment and the ecosystem of Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park Part 2 – Hitachinaka Nature Forest
Continuing where I last left off with Hitachi Seaside Park in part 1, one of the things that amazed me with this park is that there is an actual forest. As a matter of fact, this park has so many other areas that I’m just Read More …
The One about Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Part 1
Located in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki (a prefecture in the northeastern part of the Kanto region) is Hitachi Seaside Park (Kokuei Hitachi Kaihinkoen). For those who are wondering, if this park is owned by the electronics company, Hitachi? Well, the town of Hitachinaka is no doubt a Read More …
The One about Oarai Station in Ibaraki and Girls Und Panzer
For those wanting to get away from the concrete jungle of Tokyo and want to visit a place that’s not too country and more of a seaside town, will surely want to take the trip to Ibaraki prefecture and visit Oarai. Granted, unlike seaside towns Read More …
The One about Abdellatif Kechiche’s “The Secret of the Grain”
When it comes to film that seem realistic by nature, verbose as if we are watching conversations with a perfect flow and for the most part, realism and conversation on the big screen done right, I’m a big supporter of those films. Eric Rohmer’s 1969 Read More …
The One about Good Barbeque in Nakameguro
When it comes to American-style BBQ, finding it in Tokyo was never an easy thing until now. With a Brooklyn-style, Good Barbeque is the go-to location for American-style BBQ and it’s located in the trendy Nakameguro area right near the overpass. While you can expect Read More …
The One about Haneda Airport
Before the 1930’s, aviators would use airstrips near beaches at Tokyo Bay to land. Long ago, Haneda was a town on Tokyo Bay until the Japanese postal ministry purchased the waterfront land from a private seller in order to construct an airport. Haneda airfield would Read More …
The One about Café 108 at Haneda Airport
I’m typically not a fan of airport kiosks. I feel they are overpriced and their prices are quite similar to prices at an amusement park or baseball park. But in Japan, they aren’t too expensive and they are great for… Getting rid of all your Read More …
The One about Valle Grullense in Hanford, California
This past weekend, I was in Hanford, California to visit a Mexican restaurant, Valle Grullense. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about this restaurant and when I hear they have great burritos but also a lot of variety of dishes, I had to Read More …
The One about How I Paid Off My College Loans
This morning, I was reading Eric Levitz article on “We Must Cancel Everyone’s Debt, for the Economy’s Sake”, especially reading the comments on universities should be “free” (for engineering, science and mathematically-founded degrees). For me, my college loans were sold while I was in Read More …
The One about the Tomb of Kondo Isami (Commander of the Shinsengumi) in Kita ward
Located across the street from Itabashi Station in Kita ward is a memorial for Isami Kondo, the Japanese swordsman who is known as the commander of the Shinsengumi (a special police force organized by the military government – Bakufu). The Shinensumi was established by the Read More …
The One about Ichiran and their awesome ramen
It was 1960 when a ramen stall known as Futaba Ramen was opened in Fukuoka but when the first generation shopkeepers, a married couple were going to closed down, many of their loyal customers begged for them to continue their business. Many wanted to make Read More …
The One about Ikebukuro Suitengu
When I am heading out to Ichiran Ramen, often I pass by an area of Ikebukuro that I usually don’t visit. There is a shrine in the location known as Ikebukuro Suitengu and for those who enjoy exploring small shrines, this one is a little Read More …
Q&A: The One about Answering Your Questions Part II
Hi everyone! I get asked a lot of questions in regards to traveling, so once in awhile, I’ll feature a Q&A on the site! So, let’s begin… If I need to make a phone call, are there pay phones around Japan that I can Read More …
The One about How I Became Interested in Japanese Culture
I’m often asked of how I became interested in Japanese culture. I know a lot of people get into it because of their interested in Japanese animation, the music, cinema and often pop culture-related. I think it would be a shock to some if I Read More …
Travel Guide: The One about How to Read a Tokyo Subway Route Map
In Tokyo, It’s quite easy to use the JR Trains, especially the main Yamanote Line. But there are times where you need to get to an area that is only served by a metro subway line which is NOT a JR East Train and you Read More …