The DPJ has absolutely demolished the LDP in this election. I’ve been watching Trans-Pacific Radio’s excellent coverage of the election and having a good time chatting with other Japan Nerds about this amazing night. I’ve learned a couple things tonight, first, playing the instant fail button whenever an LDP politician lost is hilarious fun. Second, [...]

Strange one today. I couldn’t sleep at all, so I stayed up online talking to a friend about not much for hours. When I tried to go to sleep the earth started to shake. 5:13 in the morning to be exact. The Japanese used to have a widely held superstition that a Shinto deity named [...]

At night the danchi is almost completely quiet. The only sound you can hear is what I like to think of as the rhythmically snoring of the cicada in their sleep. The lights around the courtyard have a strange green glow and there are just enough shadows to keep you on edge as you walk [...]