Author Archives: Vicky

神無月 (kan-na-zuki) – “October” (archaic)

神 = god無 = not月 = month The modern Japanese word for October is 十月 (literally “10th Month), however in the old-fashioned calendar is was known as 神無月, or “the month with no gods”.  This is because in October, all the gods in Japan (there are believed to be 8 million of them) go toContinueContinue reading “神無月 (kan-na-zuki) – “October” (archaic)”

Four Ways in which Japan is Really Inconvenient for Foreign Travellers

Whether it’s the obscenely punctual public transport systems, the super-efficient customer service, the health system that really works, or the eponymous convenience stores, Japan is rightfully famous for taking convenience to a whole other level. Unfortunately, nowhere is perfect. Even Japan can be inconvenient at times. In this article I’m going to introduce four waysContinueContinue reading “Four Ways in which Japan is Really Inconvenient for Foreign Travellers”

The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 3

Part 3: Dealing with application process In my home country of the UK, renting is a pretty simple affair. It’s not uncommon to be able to sign the contract on the same day as the viewing. Not so in Japan! Renting an apartment in Japan can potentially be a long, complicated and drawn-out process; especiallyContinueContinue reading “The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 3”

方と気 Form & Energy

The poet William Blake proposed that two types of people exist: the “energetic creators” and the “rational organizers”, or, as he calls them in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, the “devils” and “angels”. According to Blake, both are necessary to life. Often both can be found in a single person. He said we should goContinueContinue reading “方と気 Form & Energy”

The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 2

Part 2: Understanding Japanese apartment adverts In my home country of the UK, renting is a pretty simple affair. It’s not uncommon to be able to sign the contract on the same day as the viewing. Not so in Japan! Renting an apartment in Japan can potentially be a long, complicated and drawn-out process; especiallyContinueContinue reading “The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 2”

Pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!

My housemate wanted a Japanese translation of the above title, written in Japanese calligraphy. It’s one of his favourite quotes, and we originally thought it was an ancient Buddhist phrase. However… after a lot digging on the Internet to find a Japanese translation…. it seems that the original phrase is actually Japanese! It comes fromContinueContinue reading “Pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!”