How do you keep from freezing in the season when most of Japan looks like this In Tokyo winter is mostly just a cute little season, but just a smidgen farther north, Japan is buried in freezing temps for months and you live in a house that’s insulation-challenged, if not downright colder inside than outside?ContinueContinue reading “Let’s try some weird only-in-Japan ways to stay warm in winter!”
Category Archives: 2025
The hilarious video game you win with your killer…manners?
From the YouTube video Consider It: The Co-op Mode Only in Japan would a video game go viral for rewarding those who are more skilled at wielding the magic word than the magic sword. But that doesn’t explain why “Kūki Yomi” (a Japanese phrase that means “read the air” and is translated to “Consider It”*ContinueContinue reading “The hilarious video game you win with your killer…manners?”
Did you win the Nov-Dec Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Tokyo Noir! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I’ll need an email address if you’d like the e-book or a mailing address if you’d like a paperback). If I didn’t pull your nameContinueContinue reading “Did you win the Nov-Dec Book Giveaway?”
JAN 2025
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Beyond Tokyo:Let’s stay in a Japanese inn with seven outdoor hot springs baths by a river! Ginkon-yū Onsen is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been, and I can’t resist taking you along to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime delights of the treehouse bath, theContinueContinue reading “JAN 2025”
Let’s stay at a Japanese inn with seven outdoor hot spring baths by a river!
Ginkon-yu Onsen in Hokkaido This month I’m inviting you to come with me to one of the most magical places I’ve ever been—the inn with seven secluded hot spring baths set in a forest next to a rushing river! We’ll cleverly plan our trip to arrive at the earliest possible check-in time, because there areContinueContinue reading “Let’s stay at a Japanese inn with seven outdoor hot spring baths by a river!”
Traditional Japanese Inns: Heaven…or Hell?
Remote towns like Ginzan are mobbed by gourmet-obsessed, bath-crazy visitors because nearly every building on the main canal is a renowned traditional inn When you tell someone who’s been to Japan which hotels you’re planning to stay at, I guarantee the first thing they’ll do is shake their head in a sad, knowing way andContinueContinue reading “Traditional Japanese Inns: Heaven…or Hell?”
Sukiyaki: Japanese Beef Hotpot
There’s a reason sukiyaki has been one of the best-loved Japanese dishes in the world for decades—it’s truly Japanese, but also satisfying and delicious by Western standards. Watch faces light up when even people who “don’t like Japanese food” see this tasty stick-to-your ribs pleasure appear on the table. This can be a lean andContinueContinue reading “Sukiyaki: Japanese Beef Hotpot”
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