It's been a while, huh? This distinctly irregular exercise has started to feel like one of those round-robin letters Grandma used to send...

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...

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...