Worth the paper it’s written on
Japan is a land of procedure, and of doing things ‘the proper way’. Even when that way makes little sense. I’m happy to smile, nod and get on with it most of the time. There are also times when I just want to take the entire pile of essential forms and burn it. A few […]
No food, only thought
I love the energy and colour of most festivals in Japan. (And the food stalls.) The Autumn Thinking Festival, at Osaka’s Tenmangu shrine, isn’t your average shindig. First off, you’ve got to find it. Usually that just means following the noise and the crowds. I made my way to the shrine for the evening, and […]
Extreme Makeover: Japan Edition
Revealing the secrets of makeup is, to some people, tantamount to breaking the Magician’s Code. Nobody must know how many different brushes they’ve got up their sleeves! Even to women, the need for a trowel in your travel bag can be a complete mystery. I’ve tried to remain of the opinion that good makeup makes […]
Crack
When you hear the words ‘Japanese toilet’, what do you think of? It’s probably one with all the literal bells and whistles, right? The kind of toilet that’ll greet you, play music and flash coloured lights while you pee, and then clean your bum with a perfectly-angled jet spray. Using one of these super-loos is […]
Sorry, not sorry, but sorry anyway
You might remember that, a couple of months ago, I unleashed the snark cannon on ROR here in Osaka. That post was about as well received as an entire set on Hiroshima. I was attempting to give back as good as I’d gotten on the night. And accidentally went overboard, to the point I looked […]
Say it to my (hairy) face
This week, I am seriously annoyed. This is going to be a longer post than usual. I apologise in advance. Let’s level with each other here, ladies. We all have hair on our faces, right? And I’m not talking about eyebrows and eyelashes. I mean that stubborn upper lip hair that only responds to industrial […]
