Monthly Archives: January 2012

Oyafukodori: The Street of Wayward Children

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Oyafukodori (親不孝通り) has changed dramatically over time, and it is a place almost every local has an opinion on. Most people you ask will tell you something along the lines of “Oyafuko is dangerous–don’t go there.” But the dangers of … Continue reading →

Posted in History/Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Debut of the Osaka Insider Guidebook–and My First Published Work!

Posted on January 21, 2012 by

Some of you may remember my Osaka Insider blog, and ongoing project that eventually led me to start writing a guidebook. After much hard work, I have finally released my first published work, Osaka Insider: A Travel Guide for Osaka Prefecture!! … Continue reading →

Posted in Outside Kyushu, Published Works | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Green Fukuoka City Loop Bus: A Convenient Way to See the City’s Sights

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

For visitors to Fukuoka City, the “Green” bus provides an easy way to travel between the city’s famous sights and central districts. Its route connects JR Hakata Station, Gion, Nakasu, Tenjin, Ohori Park, Fukuoka Tower, the international ferry terminal (at night), … Continue reading →

Posted in Sightseeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Top Ten Japanese Character Mascots

Posted on January 13, 2012 by

In Japan, yuru-kyara (character mascots for PR purposes) are designed for just about anything you can think of–cities, prefectures, companies, brands, projects, events, sports teams, products and more. This list is a ranking of my personal favorites, chosen from the hundreds (if … Continue reading →

Posted in History/Culture, Kyushu, Outside Kyushu | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments