Author Archives: owwls

On the Ephemeral Nature of the Starbucks Sakura Latte

Posted on February 22, 2011

Maybe a Sakura Latte is not weird. It’s getting hard to tell. After months of figuring out Japanese culture, my go-to instinct is still bewilderment. Starbucks had primed me for the Sakura Latte since Feb. 10 with a small sign … Continue reading →

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Posted in Food, Shinto, Thinking, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Roundup: Japan bloggers

A non-Tuesday post to share some Sunday-morning-in-America love with some other blogs in Japan. Cutetune This is a blog covering Japanese children’s music – usually with videos. Full disclosure: The blogger is my girlfriend, but seriously, it’s an awesome blog. … Continue reading →

Aside | Posted on February 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

On Heating an Apartment in Japan

Posted on February 2, 2011

Japan does not believe in warmth without risk. You might find a heater in various offices or installed for single-room use in apartments. But more often, you won’t. Instead, you will find various life-threatening electronic devices designed to warm the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Preparations, Uncategorized, Weird | 18 Comments

The “Gaijin Nod”

Posted on January 25, 2011

A friend from Venezuela, when we were in Prague, had a habit of making a small nod with his head toward fellow South Americans. An African-American friend from Detroit had the same habit in Germany. “It’s the brother nod,” he … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Thinking | 8 Comments

Japan’s Least Popular Arcade Game |

Posted on January 19, 2011

I’ve developed something bordering on fanaticism for the Taiko Drum game and spend way too much money and time in video arcades as a result. “Game Centers,” as the kids call them, are usually a few floors with gambling on … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun, Uncategorized, Video, Weird | 4 Comments

On The Bullet Train | 新幹線

Posted on January 12, 2011

Maybe the Shinkansen, Japan’s cross-country bullet train, is only interesting until you’ve ridden it. I was ecstatic to take the Shinkansen on a trip from Fukuoka to Tokyo. It’s a 14-hour drive by car achieved in a little under 5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel, Uncategorized, Video | 6 Comments