Matsumoto Kiyoshi – Japan’s most popular pharmacy

May 21, 2009 - 2:02 pm by Him in Others  

Since it really hit the big time in the early 2000s, Matsumoto Kiyoshi has really carved out a name for itself like no other similar chain in Japan.
Literally everywhere you turn in Tokyo and the Kanto region, Matsu-kiyo as it is affectionately known is not unlike Boots in the UK – a one time flash [...]

Noodles anyone?

May 11, 2009 - 9:14 am by Him in Others  

Noodles are a tricky business in Japan.
There are just so many varieties that to lay claim to being a relatively informed individual takes years of practice – practice achieved by way of polishing off dozens of bowls of the always delicious, usually healthy, and oft-regional varieties seen scattered throughout these islands off the eastern [...]

Kitty Kool

April 16, 2009 - 9:15 am by Him in Others  

To either be visiting or living in Japan and not know the name ‘Hello Kitty’ is unthinkable.
Kitty, as she is often abbreviated is a feline anime character popular now throughout the world with the female of the species and has appeared in so many guises as to prove futile and realistic attempt to fully document [...]

Nihongo – give it a go

January 25, 2009 - 12:36 pm by Him in Others  

A language spoken by 2% of the global population, but featuring in a disproportionately larger number of the WWW’s homepages – around twice that number – Japanese (Nihongo in the local tongue) is on the rise as interest in its study increases around the world.
Closely related to several others in North East Asia, Japanese is, [...]

Japanese theatre – an overview

January 22, 2009 - 3:36 pm by Him in Others  

The Japanese archipelago is dripping in theatrical history with so many forms native to the islands performed almost daily that no visiting fan of the stage should leave disappointed.
Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku and Takarazuka are all uniquely Japanese although the roots to some can be found on the Asian mainland – particularly in the case of [...]