Impressions of daily life in Japan
Japanese women are famous for their beautiful skin. Not only do they seem to stay wrinkle free a lot longer than Western women, many of them also appear to have a perfectly even skin with a beautiful glow about it. How do Japanese women achieve such beautiful skin? Apart from paying a lot of attention... Continue Reading →
If asked what the most typical Japanese food is, I would probably say miso soup. I already imagine some of you raising your eyebrows at this point, thinking to yourselves "what about sushi?" Contrary to popular belief in the West, sushi is not a part of daily meals in Japan. Sushi is more of a... Continue Reading →
When Western people think about Japanese aesthetics, they will often think either about elaborate and colourful designs like kimono fabrics, or they will think of the rustic and minimalist aesthetics of tatami mats and shōji doors. I was therefore very surprised to discover the Japanese love for blue and white fabrics and pottery. The designs often... Continue Reading →
If you ever spend the night in a Japanese hotel or traditional ryokan, it is highly likely that you will be confronted with what I like to call 'the Japanese breakfast experience'. While most Westerners will already consider a bowl of cereal a heartening breakfast, the Japanese are a bit more thorough when it comes... Continue Reading →
Never have I seen tamer cats than during my stay in Japan. I have seen Japanese cats submissively undergo treatments that would have sent any Belgian cat into a hissing, clawing and biting frenzy. You can imagine my surprise when I came across the following scene in a shopping street in Okinawa: How often do... Continue Reading →
"Japanese women love to wear fur." Why have I chosen this simple statement as the topic for an entire blog post? Because the difference in attitude towards fur between Japan and Belgium (and I think Europe in general) is a striking cultural difference. I have had a lot of trouble explaining to Japanese women why... Continue Reading →
The Japans 