Author Archives: Michael Gakuran

Eerie Monotones of the White Stone Mine

By Michael Gakuran | Published June 16, 2010
Continuing the haikyo White Stone Mine series (part 1, part 2), this time I’m presenting a starker look. I’ve been reluctant to play too much with the natural colours of my photos up until now, but think of these pictures more as conveying the emotional vision.
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 25 Comments

Interview with the Gakuranman

By Michael Gakuran | Published June 13, 2010
Philip from Nihongoup recently asked me for an interview as part of his growing collection of knowledge on learning Japanese. I’ve never really written a post about how I got to where I am today with my Japanese, so if you’re interested, head on over to read all about my younger days.
Posted in Japan | 9 Comments

The White Stone Mine: Fragments of the Past

By Michael Gakuran | Published June 9, 2010
Previously I took you through one of my latest explores focussing on the beautiful colours of the once proud White Stone Mine. Today it is in shambles, slowly being re-claimed by nature. But that’s not to say there is nothing left…
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 17 Comments

Ruins of the White Stone Mine in Vivid Colour

By Michael Gakuran | Published June 2, 2010
Japan is littered with abandoned mines, factories and other industrial spots, but my haikyo travels to date had not led me to a place quite as grand as this. The White Stone Mine is a sprawling ruin of wood and metal packed to the brim with history.
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 18 Comments

Sexy Japanese Zen Buddhism: Nude Forms

By Michael Gakuran | Published May 14, 2010
A rather curious piece of art by the group Gelitin is coming to Nagoya. The ‘Klunk Garden‘ is a mashup of a Zen Buddhist Japanese Rock Garden and the beautiful forms of the naked human body. Reminds me of Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto!
Posted in Japan | 21 Comments

How to Argue in Japanese

By Michael Gakuran | Published May 12, 2010
In a recent scuffle over the controversial whaling issue, I managed to seriously offend a couple of Japanese friends. Political and ethical issues are volatile topics, but add to that cultural differences when arguing and you have a recipe for disaster. So here’s some insight to help you avoid making the same mistakes.
Posted in Japan | 72 Comments

Secret Japan Blog Matsuri

By Michael Gakuran | Published April 30, 2010
What’s your best kept secret about Japan? That was the question aimed at fellow J-bloggers for this month’s Japansoc Blog Matsuri. Quite a tricky topic, especially for those who don’t actually live in Japan, but nevertheless, we had 10 awesome entries letting us in on some lesser known parts of Japan.
Posted in Japan | 6 Comments

10 Beautiful Cherry Blossom Pictures

By Michael Gakuran | Published April 17, 2010
Sakura Season is almost over and the final petals are falling gracefully to the floor. So before this ephemeral phenomenon has passed for another year, here’s a collection of 10 of the best pictures I shot in Okazaki, central Japan.
Posted in Photography | 26 Comments