Impressions of daily life in Japan
Today I wondered: what was I doing in Japan around this time four years ago? The answer did not disappoint me: I was hiking through a virgin forest and attended a field tea ceremony (nodate 野点). Me and my aunt, who was visiting from Belgium, were invited by my lovely friends Nobuo-san and Motoko-san to... Continue Reading →
Living space in Japan is limited. At first glance, Japan's population density of 336 people per square kilometer seems deceptively low. In fact, it is lower than that of Belgium, which is 370 people per square kilometer. We should, however, take into account that only roughly 20% of Japan's surface is fit for human habitation, due... Continue Reading →
Typhoons are a part of life in Japan. The typhoon season in Japan runs from May through October, with peaks in August and September. Since weather in Belgium is usually pretty mild, the occasional summer thunder-storm excepted, I was quite worried at the prospect of facing tropical cyclones during my stay in Japan. My concerns... Continue Reading →
Last year around Christmas time, something very exciting happened: one of the videos on The Japans went viral. The video I am talking about is 'gift wrapping in Japan'. It was a big surprise when the video went viral. The article on my blog 'Japanese gift wrapping' had already been published since October 2013 so... Continue Reading →
Are Japanese cats more docile than other cats? Before having lived in Japan, I would have thought this to be a ridiculous question. Surely cats are the same everywhere? Cats are not subject to cultural differences, are they? But living in Japan, surprises are never far off. I have seen Japanese cats tolerate things from... Continue Reading →
Found in Toyota City near the train station: a map where the north is at the bottom of the map. I think it was my first time ever to see a map where north wasn't at the top of the map. It was very confusing trying to orient myself with this map, since I was... Continue Reading →
The Japans 