Alan Booth’s The Roads to Sata created a modern English language book genre: Disappearing Japan, an endangered species that has been disappearing for decades, aka “the real Japan.” Whatever that is. I read Roads to Sata long ago and liked it, but that was before I had experiences to compare, […]
Japan Journal
The Mysterious Allure of Japanese Domestic Group Travel
Like most westerns I was allergic to the sight of Japanese travel groups. I vividly remember local Parisians making fun of them when visiting there one summer back in my student days in the early 80’s. When taking my parents on a sightseeing tour of some famous Kyoto temples in […]
Mobile Payments
The Morning QR Code Buzz
For the past few days the same young gentleman has been in front of me in the tiny Ikegami LAWSON store self checkout line. Each time he attempts to navigate the touchscreen menu but is ultimately defeated and goes to a staffed checkout.. The self checkout supposed to go something […]
Help Desk
Apple Pay Suica recharge workaround for non-JP VISA credit cards
Notice: The workaround outlined in this post stopped working for some with the iOS Suica App v3.2.2. update released on 2023-11-22, this appears to be fixed after Mobile Suica system maintenance on 2023-11-29. If there is one constant in VISA’s block of Apple Pay Suica recharge with foreign issue cards […]
Help Desk
Inbound Mobile Suica Q&A
With more first time inbound visitors coming to Japan recently, there are many westerners experiencing highly integrated wide area public transit for the first time. This results in the same questions posted repeatedly on social media sites which isn’t very helpful because people who think they know the answer post […]
Buddhism
My Private Oeshiki
Japanese Buddhist memorial services are festive events. Even though family members dress in funeral attire, the mood is never somber. Kids like it because they get to eat sweets before and after the temple service. Adults like it because it’s a mini family reunion with good food and drink. Buddhist […]