Asia 2025: Okinawa, Japan

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Time to go to Asia with the 'rents back in April 2025! Visited Okinawa, Japan where they first met.

Went to the Ocean Expo Park / Chiraumi Aquarium.

Spent a few days at Onna Beach, sifting through the shells.

Also visited Zakmi and Nakijin Castles.

As well as buying some lion statues from Yomitan Pottery Village and visiting the Okinawa Prefectural Museum.

The trip wouldn't be complete without visiting Okinawa World and the Peace Memorial Park.

This Happened: Lost in Translation

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

I somehow made it to the cafeteria at the Daio wasabi farm. I'd already withstood a couple months of being illiterate in Japan, so it wasn't shocking. Although navigating an unknown village by bicycle without being able to read street signs was a new feat. But then, of course, the food ticket machine didn't have any photos on it. I would have to translate between the characters on the machine that would take my money, and the plastic food display on the table. Possible, but a considerable amount of effort.

Instead, I held the door open for a man and woman with a baby in a stroller. I pointed to the man which plastic dish I wanted realized, pointed to the machine, and shrugged my arms in the universal sign for I-don't-know. He pressed the button, I inserted the money, and eventually received the correct dish: cold soba noodles garnished with seaweed and wasabi, with dipping sauce, and a side of wasabi greens wrapped in tofu skins. Wasabi greens are rather difficult to come by in my hometown-of-the-moment (i.e., Pittsburgh). It was worth the awkwardness (which was pretty much constant in my life in Japan anyways).




It only got more challenging on my bike ride back to the train station. I had traced my path returning to the main town, but could not for the life of me find my destination. Another hour was spent wandering the streets approaching total strangers saying "Eki?" and getting slowly closer and closer as I was pointed in the correct direction like a mindless hitchhiking robot. Being an English speaker in foreign countryside really cuts back on the communication dimensions.

Blind Kit Kat Taste-Testing

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Over the weekend we held a blind Kit Kat taste testing party with eight flavors. If you've been following along, you'd know I spent twelve weeks in Japan and while I wasn't working, I was collecting flavored-Kit Kats from all over the country. Having spent about $100 on Kit Kats, I decided the best way to enjoy them all was to set up a blind taste test with some friends. Prizes included a "variety pack" of Kit Kats, a box of strawberry Kit Kats, and two packages of Daruma doll and Maneki-neko origami sets. With such fabulous prizes, who wouldn't want to compete?!

The best part by far was people's guesses, there have been far more flavors and as an NPR article points out, many of them are not particulary intuitive:
Strawberry (Fukuoka)
strawberry (d), strawberry (er), strawberry shortcake (jas), raspberry (jay), blueberry cheesecake (je), strawberry (ji), blueberry (m), strawberry (s)
Matcha Green Tea (Kyoto)
subtle fish with garlic (d), matcha (er), almond (jas), tea (jay), matcha (je), cookies 'n cream (ji), almond (m), green tea (s)
Cinnamon Cookie (Kyoto)
cinnamon(d), gingerbread (er), vanilla (jas), cinnamon (jay), tiramisu (je), cumin (ji), cinnamon (m), cocoa (s)
Traditional Chocolate (America)
toffee (d), dark chocolate, coffee (jas), hazelnut, peanut (je), milk chocolate, dark chocolate (m), coffee
Toasted Green Tea (Kyoto)
seaweed (d), milk tea, ??? (jas), green tea, genmaicha (je), green tea, lemon (m), green tea
Purple Sweet Potato (Fukuoka)
tooty fruity/fake banana (d), grape, cinnamon (jas), date, red bean (je), blueberry, coffee/mocha (m), peanut butter
Wasabi (Osaka)
cuttlefish (d), wasabi, nope (jas), wasabi, wasabi (je), wasabi, cookie dough (m), wasabi
Citrus (Hiroshima)
lemon (d), lemon, orange creamsicle (jas), lemon, lemon (je), orange, raspberry (m), orange

日本: Japan Reflections

Saturday, April 27, 2013

It's been almost a month since I returned from Japan. The blog's been posting at a delayed rate with some backlogged posts while I recover. But at least I've had nearly a month to think about this post, to figure out what exactly it is that I learned. Nearly a month to blow my nose in public (because in Japan it's rude).

While my weekend trips to random spots in Japan testify to the beauty of the country, and the potential to explore and enjoy that beauty, my work life was difficult. I was put into a nearly impossible situation, and in hindsight I know I made mistakes but I still cannot see what the correct path was. So, what I learned turns out to be a lesson in self-preservation: damage control and learning to care less.

The other lesson was about how lovely it is to be part of an official program, like study abroad in Turkey where everyone needs friends and travel companions. And how lucky I was at my internship in Scotland to randomly find a travel companion. Traveling by yourself is pleasant, but when you do it every weekend, things start to get lonely. It's much like living in a new city. Everyone already has their established social circles, and no one really wants to shell out hundreds of dollars each weekend to see someplace they've already seen before or would rather see in the summer (and not chilly winter). Gratitude.

You'll note that these two reflections have little to do with Japan itself, but these were my main issues. When I was able to separate myself from work, Japan was brilliant! It wasn't outrageously expensive, the food was good, the locals were nice, it was safe, and the country was full of beautiful sights. It's hard to go very wrong with that kind of foundation!

I could pontificate a bit on the whole yes-you-can-live-in-a-country-where-you-don't-speak-the-language lesson, but that would be more for strangers' benefits than my own. Not speaking the language is an occasional hurdle that is typically easy to overcome with a bit of extra effort. Of course, knowing the language would have made pretty much everything easier, but what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, amirite?!

Also, this 12 week internship stuff, it works when you're in a relationship, too. Heck, if you're going to do 12 weeks of weekend trips solo, it might be best if you're in a relationship. But once again, this reflection is old hat. I run about proselytizing this faith to the skeptical/interwebs.

My favorite parts of these 12 weeks in Japan were probably Kobe and my trip to Yudanaka Onsen. Smaller cities/towns, sake breweries, nearby onsen, and lacking a real agenda are key to being my favorite Japanese city. Those two trips, and little oddities like ordering ramen from a ticket machine or running into bamboo groves here and thereabouts. Just lovely.

日本: Oh the Things You'll Buy

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

i: i also got an angry daruma man, a large kokeshi, 2 kimono + obi for $20, wood tea plates... and i think that's it. all the things.
j: i've got a lot of googling to do. kokeshi? kimono + obi?

I did indeed go to Japan and buy all the things. There are no things left to buy. The shopping in Japan is good. Sencha and tabi and name-engraved chopsticks and Engrish notebooks, oh my!

Also, how much English can a person speak without actually speaking English?

日本: Kyoto Sakura

Monday, April 22, 2013

The sakura giveth and the sakura taketh away.

That is, the sakura are beautiful, but they bring out every damn tourist in a 20 mile radius. Even rain on a Tuesday couldn't stop these guys at Kiyomizu-dera. Ginkakuji was a typical level of crowded, but the Philosphers' Path (being known for its cherry blossoms) was undoubtedly also super packed. Granted, I'll take warm weather and crowds over freezing and runny noses most days.

I spent my birthday in Kyoto, when the blossoms first opened. I spent my last day in Japan in Kyoto, and it rained on my head.













Additional photos up on Flickr.