My two-year stay in Japan saw me based in Osaka and Nara, rather than the more common Tokyo area, and that meant the magnificent Mount Fuji (Fuji-san) was not quite round the corner. But it was so often present in discussions and very early on I decided that I wanted to climb it before I left Japan. …
Japanophile
Japanese swimming pool etiquette and what I learnt from having a rest in an Osaka aquatic park
There are so many unique parts of Japanese life that it's hard to remember them all. Recently an article called The expat art of giving up reminded me of a quirk I hadn't thought about in ages: the hourly rest time at the Japanese swimming pool. Swimming pool lanes, photo credit M …
Kansai versus Kanto, or why there’s more to Japan than Tokyo (and why I think Osaka rules!)
This week I heard from two entirely separate people that they're heading off soon for a Japanese holiday, but both of them were destined for Tokyo and not sure if they'd go far beyond it. Of course you will, I cried! You're missing the best parts otherwise! And so I was prompted to write this …