First, let me say that one of the hosts, Bill Lawson, was totally great and the other host, I think his name is Matt Hazel, needs a hair cut. Really, what was he thinking? The 3rd annual Fukuyama “Let’s Film” Festival was held on May 31, 2008. As one of the organizers of this event I can say without any bias that this one was definitely one of the top three ever!

Some might say that I’m not good at planning. Others might say I’m an idiot. I like to think I’m “spontaneous.” Regardless of the exact reason, I have paid too much, used too much nenkyuu, and failed to capitalize on prime traveling times (Christmas 07: went to Fukuoka. It was ma-ma.) Anyways, sometimes things just fall into place. They happen. And they happen in a great way, like when I went to India during Golden Week this year.

As I sit here thinking about what to write for this article, I flick my eyes up to “The Best House” special on TV to see them counting down the top three styles of scissors from the world. It’s not strange until I write it down…Arrgh, have I really become that numbed to the absurdity of Japanese TV and culture?

The temperature is dropping and once again it’s the time of year to get naked with your friends and the obaachans or ojiichans in your town, village, island etc…. If you are thinking about going to an onsen, now is the best time to start. An onsen is essentially a “hot spring,” but can be anything from a natural hot spring to an ofuro: an extremely nice sauna-meets-hot tub experience.

When I first received my contracting organization’s welcome letter I emailed my supervisor a link to my online blog. After all, I have been blogging about Japan and Japanese culture for over four years, and although I consider myself a hobbyist, I thought my employers should know a little bit about my love and passion for Japan. My advisor still checks my blog updates regularly and lets me know his opinion. My students are aware that half the images I take of them will probably end up on my blog. It is still my right to express myself and my feelings as I share my life quite openly for others, but it’s also my responsibility not to injure anyone else’s feelings in the process.

Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun. The Land of the Gods. The love child of Izanagi and Izanami. Where failed Western rock stars come to succeed. The most bureaucratic country on the face of the Earth. And above all, the most orderly.

Summer is finally here, and in Japan that means unbearable humidity, fantastic festivals, beautiful yukatas, and relaxing trips to the local beach. But wait! There’s more! Often understated but never overlooked is another wonderful and popular tradition which makes its appearance between Golden Week and September… the Japanese beer garden. Slightly different from beer gardens found in most other parts of the world, the Japanese version operates as follows: a small fee (approximately 3000 yen for men and a little less for the ladies) gets you a ticket into a big, communal party that is both a tabehodai and nomihodai. Located on the roof terrace of a department store or hotel near you, the beer garden party is an open air, 3-4 hour Japanese-style alcohol buffet.

With summer just around the corner, we will all soon be looking for some way to escape the oppressive Japanese summer heat! Japan is a country with 35,000 kilometres of coastline so one might imagine that finding a beach to relax on should not be too much of a challenge. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the coastline is encased in concrete, or is just downright manky. However, there are a few good spots to cool off at in Hiroshima-ken. Read on for the low-down on Hiroshima’s summer hotspots:

How do you sum up a year in Japan?’ `One hell of an adventure’ would be my first choice of words! I have met so many incredible people and had so much fun. While on the plane over here I remember thinking I would be happy if I could learn a little Japanese, try calligraphy and travel in Asia. The reality of course, has far exceeded my expectations: climbing Mount Fuji was a blast; watching half naked guys chase after a stick was even better. Getting naked with my colleagues at an onsen was… interesting; and visiting a mixed mud bath was quite something else!

Hanami time has passed and all at once we are on the brink of summer; so before the heat and humidity settle in, it’s time to get outside and get active. With a little guidance, a foreigner in Japan can easily enjoy activities they did back home, or just as easily start something new. Don’t let language be a barrier. With its mountainous terrain, Japan is an outdoor adventurer’s dream! Here is a brief guide on how to get involved in some of the easiest and most accessible outdoor activities in Hiroshima.