How I Nearly Got Kicked Out of Japan

It’s been three years, I think this story deserves to be told by now.
It was April 2007. I had been studying abroad in Japan for 8 months now. I had lived with several host families, but unfortunately, this fourth and final family was a little bit full of crazy. Host mom had [...]

Seijin-shiki Part 2: Crowds in Kobe, or, Nice Guys
Don’t Wear Hakama

…Noriko and I were all dolled up, seijin-shiki-style, and met up at the Hotel Okura in Kobe where Noriko had been dressed, and take some nice photos, courtesy of ojiichan’s nice camera and photography skillz, plus extra help from host mom and obaachan.

Noriko & Mo
Met up with Noriko’s friend Sayuri and her family. Good [...]

Seijin-shiki Part 1: Gaijin in Hakama

January 11th was 成人式 (seijin-shiki, Coming of Age Day) in Japan – to honor and celebrate everyone who has become an adult (turned 20) in the previous year. This is a holiday and event of epic proportions in Japan – probably the biggest milestone in your life aside from your wedding day.
Girls dress up [...]

College and Revenge in Kyoto

My host sister Noriko goes to college in Kyoto. This is a whopping 2.5 hour each way commute from home, so she spents 5 hours a school day going to/from class. Some days, like last Friday, she only has a single, 1.5 hour lecture.
Makes me feel pretty guilty for sometimes skipping [...]

There’s a first time for everything in Osaka

With all the girly hangouts in Sannomiya, enough was enough with Kobe. By January 7th, I was ready for some hardcore Osaka-ing. I told my friend Takashi to leave the whole day open, since I know he is also of the opinion that Osaka is rockin’. He’s actually studying abroad in America [...]