Impressions of daily life in Japan
When walking around in Kyoto, foreign tourists will often be very excited when they spot 'a real-life Japanese geisha'! Indeed when walking around the area near Kiyomizu-dera temple, one often sees groups of young girls dressed in bright kimonos. What most tourists probably don't know is that these girls are not geisha, but dressed-up tourists... Continue Reading →
It's over a year ago since the big earthquake and the ensuing tsunami took place in Japan. But even now I regularly keep seeing 'Ganbarou Nippon' flags en logo's everywhere. 'Ganbarou Nippon' (がんばろう日本) means 'Do your best, Japan' or 'Let's go, Japan'. Following the March 11th quake and tsunami, the 'ganbarou nippon' campaign was launched.... Continue Reading →
Ever since blogging about Matsuko Deluxe (a famous Japanese cross-dresser) last week, I seem to run into Japanese transvestites everywhere I go! Just the other day as I went grocery shopping, I came across a stage where a guy wearing a dress and a wig was yelling into a microphone. It keeps amazing me how... Continue Reading →
At first glance I thought this place was a day care center. The balloons, the bright colours, the cute (kawaii) animal drawings... But a closer look revealed that this place is in fact a real estate agency. It is a clear example of the cultural difference between Japan and Europe. Whereas in Japan this styling... Continue Reading →
When walking around in Japan, you never know what you will see next. Like a pimped out turquoise car for example. The car just stood there by the roadside, blasting Japanese hip hop music while the owner was casually making a phone call a little bit further off.
During the summer festivals it is customary to wear a summer kimono, called 'yukata'. The past few years this old custom has regained popularity among young people. Oftentimes they give their own twist to the look. Like these four guys, doing their best to look badass:
The Japans 