I often joke about how the Japanese people are basically automatons, who mindlessly shuffle through their days, responding to stimuli much like one of Pavlov’s dogs, predictably and without spontaneity. Well, this actually isn’t a joke in most circumstances. Each morning I arrive at my desk around 7:45. I do this primarily so the vice […]
I don’t respond to Japanese children (or adults) who say “hello” to me on the street. My reasons are varied: #1 By responding, you are reinforcing the widely held view that all foreigners of Western distinction speak English decently. Japanese children need to become more aware that this is not the case. #2 I don’t […]
One of the most annoying aspects of the Trump presidency, beside having that asshole as the talking head for my birth nation, is the fact that in Japan playing cards (A234…JQK) are called Trump (トランプ). So, even though political discourse never makes it way into my lessons, I do occationally use playing cards as a […]
Here in good old Nippon, where much of the burden of caring for the elderly is placed on sons and daughters, the realities of such dynamics are clearly evident in the workplace. And even though it is seen as an honorable thing to care for one’s family, missing a day of work can easily wipe […]
No other Western holiday, transferred to the shores of Asia, annoys me more than Halloween. Here in Japan, though your occasional kindergarten might hold Halloween events, the holiday seems to be reserved for 20 something Japanese pseudo-eccentrics and patisseries looking to make a buck. There are Halloween themed nomikais (drinking parties), and Halloween hook ups […]
I hate shopping most of the time. That’s a tough position to take living here in Japan, with its long shopping arcades, both above ground and below. But there is one shop in this country I can honestly say I love. Love! It’s in Tokyo, in Kanda, and it sells traditional Japanese hanafuda, karuta, and […]
At heart I guess I am about 8 years old. If I happen to find myself in a 100 Yen shop, I immediately gravitate to the toy section. I can spend hours scouring the shelves, hoping to find some cheap hanafuda variant to add to my collection while my wife stocks up on random household […]
My daily commute consists of taking a tram(streetcar) for approximately 15 minutes, followed by a 10 minute subway ride, and then culminating in a 20-25 minute bus ride. It’s a thing of absolute precision. Rarely have I had a delay, even on the buses – traversing some tough snowstorms in the early morning – usually […]
In the past year I have experimented with fly fishing via bicycle within the city limits of Sapporo. Slowly I began assembling the gear necessary to get me from apartment to stream as swiftly as possible. It has been a slow process, filled with trial and error.(See my previous post about what I started out […]
This might hit some of you pretty hard, but it’s time I give some of you the lowdown on living in Japan as an English language teacher and how that relates to maintaining financial security. These words might hold true for most types of expats in Japan, but especially for those navigating the unlucrative ESL […]