In this time of social distancing, we all need something to give us a bit of comfort. Nintendo‘s March release of ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, a new installment in the popular Japanese franchise, provides exactly this. This video game appears deceptively simple. You design a little avatar, and you run around your town, helping adorable...Read More

It’s happened. The COVID19 infection which started in China and seemed so distant, has now touched almost every country in the world. Some are handling it better than others, like Taiwan for instance. They have managed to contain the viral spread extremely well (195 as of the writing of this article) and keep toilet paper...Read More

Hokkaido is another one of those locations in Japan that is often overlooked in favor of Tokyo or Kyoto. However, anyone with some time to spend in Japan should not miss out on the chance to explore the country’s most northern point.   This is particularly true for those who enjoy nature or skiing. But even if...Read More

Just 3 hours by train from Japan’s Capital Tokyo, lies a prefecture known for its traditional Washi paper industry (including lanterns and umbrellas) and is a center for the Japanese swordsmithing and cutlery industries, Gifu – the home of Shirakawa-go village, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Farmhouses in the this village are called “gassho-zukuri” whose...Read More