Monthly Archives: June 2010

Useful Expressions for Arguing in Japanese

Published June 30, 2010
Hop on over to the Japan Times to read my special feature titled “Mastering the Gentle Art of Arguing in Japanese” – an extension to last month’s Arguing in Japanese article. This one looks more at the sort of expressions you can use in Japanese to help discussions go smoothly!
Posted in Japan | 12 Comments

Gunkanjima: Ruins of a Forbidden Island

Published June 28, 2010
Gunkanjima – every urban explorer’s dream. A deserted island of concrete ruins slowly crumbling away off the West coast of Japan. Travellers have long been forbidden to land there and view the secrets within its walls. But with an awesome guide and a little luck, I was able to do just that. Here’s my story.
Posted in Adventure, Haikyo / Ruins | 386 Comments

Monkey Island 2: Lechuck’s Revenge Remake

Published June 17, 2010
Around this time last year I was blogging about the new Tales of Monkey Island and the remake of the original Secret of Monkey Island. This year comes a remake of the second in the series – Lechuck’s Revenge. Cue voodoo-doll fuelled hilarity!
Posted in Other | 9 Comments

Eerie Monotones of the White Stone Mine

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

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

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

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