Blogs

In Japan, passion for cherry blossoms run deeps and anticipating their arrival every spring borders on a national obsession. Pictures above are from nightly news national TV broadcasts in early March … read more

In early February, though still cold in Japan, days start to get noticeably longer, and it begins to feel that winter is on its way out. Pretty plum blossoms begin to bloom first, and an early-bloom … read more

Today is the first day of tsuyu, the beginning of the rainy season in southern Japan.  Spring is in its full glory and gentle, warm rain has been falling all day. It will rain here every day f … read more

Thirty dedicated volunteer “Toy Doctors” in our town, Miyazaki, run an organization called The Toy Hospital (omocha-no-biyouin in Japanese.) As you have might have guessed, they mend br … read more

Here in Miyazaki, there is a city-wide effort to reduce waste under a program called 5-R. Refuse: Avoid accepting items that will become unnecessary trash. Reduce: Generate less trash. Re … read more