Author Archives: Michael Gakuran

Burtonesque Pokemon: Macabre Re-imaginings

Something ghastly this way comes! Artist Hatboy has recently been posting his latest Tim Burton inspired creations – grim re-imaginings of Japan’s fuzzy little Pokemon creatures that, even today, still manage to remain popular. As an avid Burton (and Elfman) fan, seeing these amazing works just made my day. They come right out from under […]
Posted in Japan | Leave a comment

Microaggressions or Icebreakers? Everyday Irritations for Foreigners in Japan

Over the last month or so the foreign community in Japan has been abuzz with talk of ‘microaggressions’ – a psychological term that describes everyday slights that alienate and offend people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. As with the Gaijin Debate, we’ve heard opinions from both sides – those who think the term is an […]
Posted in Japan | 20 Comments

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Field Test

The E-M5 is a compact camera with incredible image quality that exceeds all but the highest expectations. With the E-M5, I feel that the Olympus micro 43 cameras have finally come of age. Here we have a camera with a large sensor in a compact, high-performance body that can meet almost any challenge. The improved […]
Posted in Photography | 56 Comments

Daily Mail Used My Photos Without Permission and Without Payment

The Daily Mail has a history of stealing images and only paying up if and when they are caught and pursued. A quick Google search will turn up lots of results, but here, here and here are a few. It appears as though I am the latest test subject, as their MailOnline web newspaper has […]
Posted in Photography | 71 Comments

Haikyo House of Hidden Treasures

Slumbering in a small onsen town far off in Western Japan lies one of the most magnificent haikyo I’ve had the pleasure of exploring to date. The ‘House of Hidden Treasures’ is a collection of artefacts devoted to that most primal of human desires – sex. Full of erotic art, phallic sculptures and living wax […]
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 18 Comments

Driving in Japan: Passing the Japanese Driver’s Test

Learning to drive is an expensive and time-consuming process in most countries, but perhaps especially so for the foreigner living in Japan. Many people visiting Japan will eventually find themselves needing to take a driving test in order to drive here – even if they already hold a valid licence from their home country. The […]
Posted in Japan | 55 Comments

The Winding Tower of Shime Coal Mine

Otherwise known as the ‘Anti-Zombie Fortress’ on the internet, this distinctive haikyo location can be found in Fukuoka. The Winding Tower is housed inside a public park and surrounded by a standard perimeter fence, so it’s easily accessible to everyone, including explorers.
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 10 Comments

Olympus Photo Festa 2012 Nagoya

Olympus is currently firing up consumer interest with its latest product, the OM-D E-M5. I wrote a brief preview when it was announced last week, after days of tantalising leaks and have found myself rather more interested in the camera than I first thought I would be. Today I went down to Nagoya where Olympus […]
Posted in Photography | 2 Comments