A couple of years back, I made the move from global content marketing to Japanese-to-English translation and editing. Seeing as I've...

My Nan always used to say that she had something called the "fluence". She could read the tea leaves, talk to spirits, and understand...

I posted part 1 (back then, I didn't know it was part 1) nearly a year ago. A lot's changed since then, and a lot has stayed the same. To...

Being unwell is no fun, no matter where you live. When you’re in another country, far from your family, friends, and a more...

Every so often, a quote or article comes along that has the foreigner population in Japan up in arms. Like this NYT piece on Pico Iyer, a...

I found a 'how to work in marketing in Japan as a foreigner' blog post linked by someone on Twitter, liked and RT'd by several friends....

As lovely as any air-conditioned building can be, the chance to take some time out and enjoy the summer holidays in Japan is definitely...

Visit a public bath. Okay, you'll feel more like you fit in. Tiny difference. But trust me, a good, healthy mental state is extremely...

After nearly a year on a Working Holiday visa, picking up bits of work where I can., remaining here as a freelance copywriter isn't...

Every time I come to Japan, I put on weight. Every time other people come to Japan, they magically lose weight. Why is that? Japan has a...

For Halloween this year, I dressed up as a blue alien. Jumpsuit, funky shoes, LED antenna headband, the works. Even painted my face blue...

For the longest time - THE longest time - I thought that a 'rirekisho' (履歴書) was the Japanese version of a CV/resume. Simple. Obviously,...

The other day, on my way out of a temple, I was stopped by a man in Lycra. For a second, I thought I was about to be coerced into a new...

Most of the time, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) gets associated with the winter months. Cold, dreary days with less sunlight have a...